Under Your Skin
by lunatic922
Summary: Someone's up to mischief in the woods of Beacon Hills and Scott and Allison wind up getting more than they bargained for when they wake up in each other's bodies. Yeah, body swap!Scallison fic. Honestly, this one hit me out of nowhere. Some sexual situations, some angst. Takes place between Seasons 2 and 3. Thanks to AwasteofBytes for being a wonderful beta, as always!
1. Chapter 1

_Night after night, he watched as the hunter and the wolf traced the similar tracks but never crossed paths. "This won't do," the watcher thought to himself. "How much better it would be if they were forced to meet." He decided to remedy the situation and set about his goal at once. He settled on old trick, because the simplest magic was often the most potent. With a wink to the moon above, he laid the trap and waited for it to spring._

**Chapter 1**

Allison didn't notice that anything was wrong at first. She was too distracted by the phone buzzing on the nightstand. She couldn't remember setting it on vibrate, but her head ached, so she was grateful she had turned the ringer off. She tried to remember the night before. She didn't think she'd been drinking, but the blank in her memory pointed to the opposite conclusion.

Eyes closed, she reached for the phone and pressed the talk button.

"Hello?" God, she even sounded terrible today. Maybe she'd caught something.

"You need to get to a mirror, right now." A girl's voice came on the line.

Allison's eyes popped open. She was certain she hadn't given anyone other than her father her new cell number. No one else knew she was back at Beacon hills. Unless you counted Derek Hale, which she didn't. She glanced at the caller ID. The number looked familiar, but she had trouble placing it.

"Who is this?" She sat up in the bed, pushing the covers away.

"Trust me. Just get to a mirror." The girl sounded irritated. "There's one in the bathroom."

"A little bossy aren't we, Ms. stranger-on-the-phone?" Allison cleared her throat, trying to get her voice to come back.

"Just do it."

"Fine." Allison walked into the bathroom that adjoined the bedroom.

"Are you looking yet?"

"Yeah, I'm..." The words died on Allison's lips. There, looking back at her, was Scott McCall, holding a phone to his right ear. But that was impossible. He didn't even know she was back in town. No one else was even here, just her. _Which meant that..._

Allison reached up to touch her face and watched, fascinated as Scott in the mirror did the same.

She held out her hand in front of her. It was larger, the skin smooth and brown. That was not her hand-it was Scott's. Except, it _was_ hers. She put her hand down. Obediently, mirror Scott did the same.

"Scott?" She whispered into the phone.

"Good, so you looked," said Scott with her voice. It dawned on Allison that the number on the caller ID was her new number.

"How did this happen?"

"I don't know. I'm trying to figure it out."

"Oh, my god," Allison said. She walked out into the bedroom, really taking in her surroundings.

Scott's bedroom looked almost the same as the last time she was over. She and Scott had made out on that very bed. Well, they'd done more than that if she was being truthful. Allison flushed at the memory of the way Scott's hands touched her that night. She remembered how good it felt to press her lips against his, to slip her tongue inside his mouth while his hands did things her dad definitely wouldn't approve of. Suddenly, she became aware of a strange sensation radiating from between her legs. Another thought struck her and Allison glanced down.

She shrieked. "Oh, my god! I have a..."

"I'm coming over," interrupted Scott. "Just sit tight and stay calm."

_"Hurry."_

"What do I tell your father?"

"What?"

"About where I'm going. Last time I checked, he likes to know where you're headed."

"I don't know!" Allison started pacing the room. She ran a hand through Scott's-no, her hair. The shortness of it unnerved her. "I can't think about that right now!"

"Ok, I'll figure something out."

"How can you be so calm about this?"

"Allison, I'm a werewolf. Weird's kinda my new normal. And I'm sure it's not permanent."

She hadn't thought about that. She wasn't just a boy now-she was a werewolf. What if Scott was wrong and she was stuck like this forever? She'd never be able to go home; her father would never accept she was a werewolf, never mind accept that she was now Scott McCall.

"This is bad. This is really, really..." Suddenly there was a sound like a gunshot and Allison jolted. It sounded like it came from downstairs.

"Allison?" Scott's voice was hesitant. "Is everything ok?"

"I heard a noise!"

"What'd it sound like?"

"Like a gun going off." Allison assumed a fighting stance.

"That's the front door. Stiles was gonna come over. He'll be upstairs in a sec."

"That's the door?"

"Your hearing is more powerful now. Things sound...magnified. And try to stay calm."

"Stop telling me to be calm!"

The door to the bedroom burst open and Stiles came running in. His hair was longer than Allison remembered and he wore a T-shirt and shorts. He looked a lot more relaxed than the Stiles she knew from last spring.

"Yo, dude!" Stiles sat down on the chair next to Scott's desk. He leaned back and crossed his arms behind his head. "Who are you arguing with? And why aren't you dressed? We're supposed to meet Isaac at the mall soon."

"It's Allison," Allison said.

"What?" Stiles sat up. "She's back? You're fighting with Allison?"

"Yes," Allison said and then she shook her head. "I mean no." She began pacing again, phone still pressed to her ear. "I mean, I'm Allison."

"You know, Scott, just when I thought you'd gotten over the whole break-up thing you come up with something like this."

"He doesn't believe you, does he?" Scott said.

"No," answered Allison. "He doesn't."

"Give the phone to Stiles."

Allison held the phone out to Stiles. "Scott wants to talk to you."

Stiles rolled his eyes and grabbed the phone.

"Hello?" He leaned back again in his chair. "Hey, Allison." Stiles paused. "Yeah, I don't know what you and Scott are up to, but I'm not buying..."

Suddenly the blood drained from Stiles's face. "You swore we would never speak of that!" He looked back at Allison, eyes wide. "Yeah. Ok." He handed the phone back to her. "He wants to talk to you."

Allison took the phone back.

"What'd you say to him?"

"I just reminded him about Mrs. Beecham's house."

"Ok. That makes no sense." Allison walked over to the bed and sat down. "When can you get here?"

"I'm on my way. Remember, _stay calm_."

* * *

Scott hung up the phone and began dressing as quickly as he could. Even though Allison was smaller than he was, his limbs seemed heavy and his movements awkward. It didn't go too badly, except that he got slowed down when he tried to put on one of Allison's many, many bras.

"Screw it," he muttered and threw the offending item on the floor. He didn't have time to mess around with lingerie.

He'd seen a lot of strange things happen since becoming a werewolf, but this was probably the strangest. He decided to stop worrying about the why until he could get to Allison. He had to make sure she didn't freak out and shift without him there. She knew a lot about hunting werewolves, be she didn't have a clue how to be one. She could hurt someone and right now Stiles was the closest target if she lost control.

Scott put on the nearest shoes he could find and grabbed Allison's purse from off her desk chair. He searched to contents to make sure that her keys and wallet were all in there. They were, along with about a thousand other items, including a miniature crossbow.

"Right," he muttered. He tossed the cell phone into the bag and walked over to the door.

Even though he'd spent months with her, Scott really had no idea how to act like Allison. He wondered what would happen if her dad discovered the truth. Surely he wouldn't shoot Scott in Allison's body? He pushed the thought aside. He had to deal with the situation at hand. He took a deep breath and opened the door.

It took him a moment to realize that Allison and her father had moved into a different house than the one he remembered. Instinctively, Scott breathed in through his nose, trying to find out if Mr. Argent was home. He cursed when he remembered that Allison's sense of smell was human, and therefore not much use in that department. He closed his eyes and tried to listen. He couldn't pick up anything that helped him determine if he was alone.

"Great, just great," Scott mumbled, annoyed at having to fly blind. He'd forgotten how dependent he'd become on his new abilities, especially since he'd begun tapping into his wolf side more often.

Resigned to his limited senses, Scott walked down the hall and down the stairs. He appreciated how Allison's lighter body managed not to create much noise as he padded down the wooden steps. It explained how she still managed to sneak up on him every now and then. Scott breathed a sigh of relief as he reached the bottom of the stairs. Only a few more feet and he'd be home free. He crossed the hall and his hand was on the knob when a voice came from behind him.

"Allison, where are you going?"

Scott winced before he remembered that Allison probably wouldn't do that. He turned around and tried to smile.

"Hi...Dad," he said, the word foreign on his tongue. "I'm just, uh, heading out to the library."

"Doing more research for your English paper?"

Scott racked his brain. Allison was already researching a paper for English? Did he miss something or was she just being studious? Scott cursed inwardly-just when he thought he'd caught up with his schoolwork it seemed he'd fallen behind again.

"Actually, I have a paper due when school starts. For economics. Coach, uh, Mr. Finstock assigned it over the summer." This was true. _Scott_ did have an economics paper due when school started up again. It was one of Coach's conditions to allow Scott to join the cross-country team.

Mr. Argent looked Scott up and down. Scott saw a puzzled expression cross the hunter's stony face and he tried not to panic. The last time he'd been this close to Allison's dad, they'd been hauling Jackson's body into the back of Argent's SUV. The same SUV Argent had used to run Scott down in the parking lot during the winter formal.

After what seemed an eternity, the hunter smiled.

"Ok, honey. Have fun and don't study too hard. Call me if you're going to be out for dinner."

"Will do," Scott said and he pulled open the door and walked outside. Once he was safely inside Allison's car, he relaxed into the seat. His heart was pounding and he had to catch his breath.

After a minute he started the car and pulled out the driveway. The sooner he was himself again, the better.


	2. Chapter 2

"Ok, Allison. Pacing is not gonna make Scott get here any faster. Can you please knock it off?" Stiles frowned. "Remember, you need to stay calm."

"I am calm!" Allison snapped. She glared at Stiles and kept walking the length of Scott's bedroom. Despite her best intentions, she couldn't stay still. It was like giving up, like she was just letting things happen. Allison didn't let things happen to her. Not anymore. She'd grown used to taking control and it felt wrong to just sit there, waiting for someone else to solve things.

"Oh yeah, you're the picture of serenity." Stiles spun his chair around to face the computer. He began browsing the web. "Whatever you say."

All this nagging from Stiles and Scott was beginning to grate on her. Her fingertips began to tingle in response to her irritation. "And why exactly is it so important that I stay calm?"

Stiles kept his eyes glued to the monitor. "Because. If you don't, you're gonna shift."

"What?" She stopped in her tracks. The tingling intensified.

"It's tied to your emotions. Lose control of your emotions, your heart-rate rises and _bang!_" Stiles slammed his palm against the desk. "Instant werewolf." He resumed typing. "Seeing as you have no experience controlling the transformation, it's like starting over from square one."

"How do I control it?" She whirled the chair around so Stiles was facing her. "Tell me!"

Stiles rolled his eyes.

"You stay calm. Just like I've been telling you."

She growled and began pacing again. The sensation in her fingers was becoming unbearable. "How can I stay calm? I'm trapped in the body of a werewolf who happens to be my ex-boyfriend and I have no idea how any of this works!"

Stiles turned to watch her, his expression serious. He glanced at her hands. "Uh, Allison? Remember what I said about how you needed to control your emotions?"

"What about it?" Allison maintained her perpetual cycle of movement, but now she rubbed her temples. The tingling sensation had spread from her hands into her head, making her feel like her entire body was on pins and needles.

"Well, you're not doing a very good job." Stiles swallowed and nodded his head towards her hands. Allison looked down, horrified to see claws where fingernails had been only a minute before. She began to hyperventilate and she looked at Stiles.

"What do I do?"

"Think of something that makes you feel calm!"

She stared at Stiles and it struck her that he seemed so helpless. _So vulnerable._ Her eyes narrowed. The boy shot out of his chair and tried to put some distance between them.

Allison could hear a fast rhythm that instinctively she _knew_ was his heartbeat. She noticed a pungent odor coming from him. Fear. It smelled wonderful, better than anything she'd ever smelled before. The world before her shifted into shades of red and she no longer worried about losing control. She didn't want to fight what was happening. She wanted to let the wolf take over and the wolf wanted to hunt.

And there was easy prey, right in front of her.

"Now, Allison, I don't think you're trying very hard." Stiles's voice cracked and he sprinted for the door. Allison cut him off.

"Oh, really?" She smiled and her teeth lengthened into fangs, the points sharp to the touch of her tongue.

"You need to think about this, this isn't you! You don't want to do this." The boy pleaded and began retreating towards the window.

"I think I do." Allison stalked towards the human and now her quarry's heart beat so fast, it was nearly a continuous sound. She was about to close the distance when she heard a click from behind her and then a sharp pain blossomed in her chest.

She turned around and there was Scott, holding a small crossbow in his hand.

"Looks like I got here just in time." He looked at her, his face grave. Then everything went black.

* * *

"Oh, thank god, Scott! You don't know how happy I am to see you!" Stiles collapsed against the window sill.

Scott looked over at Stiles and saw that other boy was shaking.

"Are you ok?" Scott lowered the crossbow and Stiles nodded.

"Good." Now I know why she carries a crossbow in her purse." Scott put the weapon on his desk.

He walked over to where Allison lay on the floor. It would have been strange seeing her under normal circumstances, but it was a truly bizarre experience seeing her for the first time since they'd switched bodies.

Scott knew he looked monstrous when he shifted, but watching it happen from an outsider's perspective was eye-opening. He began to grasp what his mom and Stiles went through when the full moon rolled around. He gave thanks that he hadn't hurt anyone during those early months and that the most important people in his life saw beyond the monster.

His wasn't sure if Stiles knew how much stronger Scott had become since he'd first been bit. Scott had cultivated more control over the summer, with the help of his Other, but there was no way someone like Allison would know how to tap into that power.

Scott hooked his arms underneath Allison's armpits. "Get her feet and help me move her to the bed. We'll take the arrow out there."

Stiles nodded and wordlessly grabbed Allison's ankles. They hefted her onto the bed, with more effort than Scott anticipated. Seems like he should cut back on the pizza.

"Ok, so how we gonna do this?" Stiles licked his lips nervously. "I mean, how long before she's back up and running? I want to prepare myself."

"I'll pull the arrow out and she should come to in a couple minutes. Why don't you get a wet washcloth or something?"

"Works for me." Stiles ducked into the bathroom and emerged with a washcloth. "Is cold water ok?"

"It's fine. We're just going to clean the wound before it heals all the way." Scott grabbed his desk scissors and cut open Allison's T-shirt. It was one of his favorites, too, but he'd rather have a ruined T-shirt than a dead friend. "This is so weird."

"Tell me about it." Stiles sat on the desk chair and rolled it up to the bed. He gripped the washcloth tightly, his leg bouncing up and down.

"Ok, here goes nothing." Scott gripped the arrow. "One..two..."

Scott pulled the arrow out with all his strength. Luckily, it came out in a single piece, although blood dripped down the shaft.

"Well, that wasn't so bad!" He looked at Stiles and grinned. "Hand me the washcloth."

"You know, if you guys are running late, at least you could...hey! What are you doing to him?"

Scott and Stiles turned their heads towards window, in time to see Isaac leap over the sill in a single movement. Isaac's eyes glowed yellow and he crouched on the floor, poised to attack. He growled at Scott. "Leave him alone, Argent!" Isaac crooked his head towards Stiles. "Why are you helping her?"

"Wait, Isaac, it's me, Scott!" Scott dropped the bloody arrow and raised his arms in the air, like he was surrendering. "And I'm just removing the arrow."

Isaac stood up, a confused look on his face. Scott knew he'd smelled the truth on him. Isaac looked from the body on the bed to Scott's face. "You know, I think I'll come back later."

"Good idea. Run along, Lahey. We'll call you if we need your bouncy curls." Stiles smirked. Scott smacked him on the arm. "Ow!"

Isaac scowled and crept back out the window.

"Right," Scott glared at Stiles. "Hand me that washcloth."


	3. Chapter 3

When Allison woke up, she was back where she started: Scott's bed. Only this time when she opened her eyes, she found herself gazing up into her own face. A sharp wave of pain brought her back to the present and she sat upright.

"How are you feeling?" Scott asked.

"You shot me! With my own crossbow!" Allison stared at him with disbelief. She looked down at her now bare chest. Other than the pain where the arrow had pierced her, there was no evidence she'd been shot.

"Well, you tried to kill me, so fair's fair." Stiles walked into view. He looked pissed. "And besides, you're fine. It's not like Scott hasn't been shot before by, say, everyone in your entire family."

"Stiles, please." Scott clenched his jaw. "Let's focus."

Allison grunted and tried to stand. Scott put a hand out to stop her.

"You shouldn't move yet. You still need a few minutes to heal everything." A small smile flitted across his face.

Allison leaned back against the pillows. She pulled up the sheet in an attempt to cover herself. Even though she knew she was technically a guy, she just didn't feel comfortable being topless. "Right."

She glanced over at Stiles, who still looked angry. "I'm really sorry Stiles. I'm glad you're ok."

"Yeah, well, next time, try listening to me when I tell you to calm down!" He pursed his lips. After a minute, Stiles's expression softened. "Apology accepted."

"Ok, so now what?" Allison asked. She looked at Scott. And then she did a double-take. "Scott! You're not wearing a bra!"

Stiles whipped his head around towards Scott. He gaped at Scott's chest and then snickered. "Oh, my god. Dude, you're totally free-balling!"

Scott blushed and crossed his arms over his now very-female chest. "I had trouble putting it on." Allison rolled her eyes.

"I was in a rush!" Scott protested. "If I had stopped to fiddle with a stupid bra, Stiles might be dead."

"But you look...indecent. You can't just go out in public like that!"

"I'm not going out in public. I'm going to my own house!" Scott's huffed. After a second, his eyes widened. "So that's why your dad looked at me funny when I was leaving the house."

"Oh my god, my _Dad_ saw you like this? Scott!"

"Fine." Scott stood up and walked over to his dresser. He rummaged through the top drawer and pulled out one of Allison's old bras. She hadn't remembered leaving any behind at his house, but she usually was preoccupied when she snuck out to go home. "You want me to wear a bra? I'll put on a damn bra!"

Scott faced away from Stiles and Allison and stripped off the dark T-shirt he'd put on at Allison's house.

"You can't do this in front of Stiles!" Allison's voice rose to a higher pitch and Stiles started to laugh. She shot him a dirty look. "What's so funny?"

"Oh, all of it," Stiles wiped a tear away from the corner of his eye. "Just, everything."

Scott fumbled for a moment, but managed to secure the hooks behind his back, thanks to Allison's small fingers being nimbler than his own. He picked up the shirt and forced it back over his head before turning around.

"There, satisfied?" He frowned at Stiles, who was still laughing. After a minute, Stiles's laughter subsided.

"Yes." Allison got up, slowly. Her chest still hurt a little but she took a deep breath, walked over to the dresser and took out a T-shirt. She pulled it over her head, feeling better now that she was clothed again. She leaned up against the desk. "As I was saying, what now?"

"Well, we need to figure out what happened." Scott said. He sat on the bed and crossed his legs.

"Maybe it was witches?" Stiles suggested. Allison groaned.

"Witches? Really, Stiles?"

"Well, do you have any better ideas, Cujo?"

"What did you call me?" She took a step forward and Stiles flinched.

"Been waiting to use that one a while, eh?" Scott said.

"Maybe," Stiles replied.

"What do you remember from last night?" Scott changed the subject and redirected his attention to Allison.

Allison tried to think back.

"Well, the last thing I remember was taking a walk in the preserve. I went along the East side, to the cliff. But nothing unusual happened."

"You went to the rock." Scott's voice was quiet.

"What rock?" Stiles asked. Allison and Scott ignored him.

"How did you know that?" Allison glanced over at him, surprised. Scott looked down at his hands and laced his fingers together.

"Your scent was there."

"Derek told me you don't go there anymore." Allison was flabbergasted. She counted on Derek being truthful about Scott avoiding the rock. It was the reason she still visited.

"I...wait, you've talked to Derek? He knew you came back before I did?" Scott asked.

"It was _once_. And not by choice." Allison gazed out the window, averting her eyes from Scott's hurt expression. She picked up a new scent emanating from Scott for a brief moment before it disappeared. She listened; Scott's heart was a steady drum. Unlike her, he seemed to have full control over his emotions. She could also detect Stiles's curiosity, still tainted by fear. She rubbed her nose, willing the smells to go away. She hated having her radar attuned to everyone's feelings. "Why did you go there?"

"I followed some floating lights. They looked kinda like fireflies or something."

Stiles smacked his forehead.

"Scott, don't you know you're never supposed to go towards the light! Especially mysterious lights in the woods. Bad things happen there."

"I'm aware bad things happen in the preserve," Scott replied, a wry smile on his face. "After all, that's how I got roped into this in the first place." He jerked his head towards Allison. Stiles pressed his lips together and Allison picked up on a new scent coming from him. _Guilt._ She knew some of the story behind how Scott got turned, but she never realized that Stiles blamed himself for it.

Scott continued his story.

"As I was saying, I followed the fireflies and wound up at the rock. I sat there awhile. I saw something shiny on the dirt and picked it up. It was a coin, but it was European or something, so I dropped it. I hung out there a little longer, but nothing happened. And then I came home. When I woke up, I was like this." He gestured to himself.

"Wait, you picked up a coin?" Allison straightened. "Did it have weird symbols on it, like a knot on one side and two dragons on the other?"

"Yes." Scott answered.

"I picked it up too." Allison looked at Scott solemnly. Things did not happen by accident in Beacon Hills, it seemed.

"You don't think..." Scott shook his head. "No. That's not possible."

"Do you have a better idea?" Allison retorted. "We both happened to pick up the same strange coin on the same night at the same place. That's not a coincidence, Scott."

"Now we're making progress," Stiles chimed in and he rubbed his hands together. "So, why don't you two go back to the preserve and try to find the coin while I do some research back at my place?"

Reluctantly, Scott rose from the bed. He nodded.

"I guess it's a starting point," said Scott. "We'll call you when we find it."

* * *

They didn't speak during the ride to preserve. Scott watched Allison get out of the car and take in the woods for the first time as a werewolf. She slowly turned in a circle, drinking in the surroundings. Her eyes flicked back and forth, trying to hone in on the sources of all the noises she heard.

"It's so...much." Allison said and she looked at Scott. "How do you focus on anything?"

He got out and locked the car. "You get used to it." He walked past her to the entrance. "Practice helps."

"That's it? That's all the advice you have?" She was in front of Scott before he even saw her move. He scowled. "Practice?"

"You'll figure it out." God, he was beginning to sound like Derek. He tried to elaborate as they walked up the path. "The first step is to find your anchor. Once you do that, you can control the shift. Then, practice filtering out all the sounds and smells. You'll learn what's useful and what's not."

"What's an anchor?"

"Something that ties you to your human side. It can be anything, really. A feeling, a place, a person. Next time you feel yourself starting to shift, try to focus on it." Scott kicked up leaves as he walked along, trying to keep his voice even as he recalled the effects shifting had on his emotions. "If that doesn't work, try pain. That always brings you back."

"Is that why you shot me?"

"Had to stop you somehow," Scott said. He gave her a cynical smile. "It's weird being on the other end of a crossbow for a change."

"I'm sorry," Allison looked down at the ground. "I didn't mean to attack Stiles. It just happened. Suddenly I felt like...like I was someone else."

"I know," Scott replied. If anyone could appreciate what it was like to lose control to the Other, it was him.

"I don't know how you do it. Is that what the full moon is like?" Allison asked in a small voice. Scott snuck a glimpse at her face and saw her eyes were full of fear.

"Um, yeah. That's what it's like," Scott answered, knowing that it wasn't the same at all. Hopefully, they'd be back to normal before the next one happened. Then Allison wouldn't have to find out for herself what it was like and he wouldn't have to worry about her killing anyone. "And don't worry; the full moon was earlier this week."

"You're lying." Allison narrowed her eyes at him.

"No, it was. It was Sunday."

"That's not what I meant. Your heartbeat changed when you said that 'that's what it's like'."

"So you learned that trick already?" Scott avoided her accusation. "You're catching on quickly."

"Yeah, I did." She stepped in front of him. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Allison, forget it. Let's just worry about finding the coin, ok?" He took a step to side and began walking again. Within a few seconds, Allison had blocked his way again.

"No. I spent months with you not telling me these things. But now, you're going to tell me the truth."

Scott looked Allison's expectant face and a sudden anger roiled beneath his surface. He was glad he didn't have to worry about shifting and for the first time in months, he let himself experience the full force of his emotions. The anger spilled forth and now coursed through him.

Why should he tell her anything? What right did she have to know what it'd been like for him? If they weren't in this situation, he wouldn't have found out she'd come back until after school started. He would have thought he was going crazy when he smelled her in the halls without knowing she'd returned, without being able to prepare himself for seeing her again.

But apparently Allison was perfectly fine with that. She didn't think about what it would be like for him when she came back. Maybe she would have let him think he was crazy. As for the full moon, she didn't care what it'd been like for him or if it had been hard for _him_; she just wanted to know what it would be like for her.

He stayed silent for a moment and then finally, he spoke, his voice cold.

"Ok, you want the truth?" His eyes locked onto hers. She took a step back at his tone. "It's painful. Excruciating, in fact." He spat the words out. "What you just experienced today? That's nothing compared with my first shift during a full moon."

Allison blanched and Scott continued his rant.

"Every bone in your body is reshaped, one by one. Your head feels like it's about to split open. Then, your skin begins to crawl so bad you just wish you could tear it off. But you can't." He took a step towards her, his voice menacing. "The more you fight it, the worse it is. And you _will _fight it. When it's done, you've become a monster that just wants to kill the nearest living thing. If you're not locked up, you probably will. And there's nothing you can do to stop it."

"So. Now you know what it's really like. Happy?" He gauged Allison's reaction; she cast her eyes to the ground and didn't say anything in response to his outburst.

Scott brushed past her, leaving her standing on the path. He walked a few minutes in silence. He was ashamed that he'd lost his temper, but part of him was relieved. It was freeing not to bottle everything up for a change.

"You're angry with me." Allison easily caught up with him as he hiked up the hill that led to the rock that served as their old meeting spot.

"Observant. Really putting those werewolf senses to good use."

"Is this about Derek? He sought _me_ out, Scott. I didn't go looking for him."

"It's not about Derek."

"Then why are you so upset with me?"

"You came back, Allison. And you didn't tell me. Did it even occur to you how that would make me feel? What it'd be like to show up at school and suddenly, you're there, like you never left?"

Allison came to a dead stop. Scott kept walking.

"Wait, Scott!" She moved, just a blur, and instantly she was alongside him again. "I'm sorry. But I wasn't ready. After everything that happened...I just wanted more time."

"More time before what?"

"Before I had to deal with Isaac. Or Boyd. Or Erica. Before..." her voice became soft. "Before I saw you again. I wasn't ready for you to be disappointed with me."

"That's not fair! You know I wouldn't be that way-and if you had asked, I would have given you space. You could have said something."

He and Allison were fighting, he realized. They'd gone without talking before. And they'd argued at the rave. But they'd never had a real fight. He couldn't believe their first fight would happen like this.

"Oh, you mean like how you told me about how my mother tried to kill you?"

"What?" Scott pivoted to face her, stunned.

"Yeah, Derek told me about what happened at the rave. About why he attacked her." She stepped towards him, hands on her hips, her eyes boring into his. "He did it to save you-something you conveniently failed to mention. After all this time, Scott, you're still keeping secrets from me."

"I'm not talking about this with you." Scott moved to resume walking but Allison grabbed him by the shoulder. Scott tried to shrug her hand off, but found he couldn't move out from under her grasp.

"I'm not some fragile little girl Scott. You should have told me." She stared into his eyes, earnest. "I deserved to know."

"As I recall, you weren't exactly talking to me at the time." He now tried to knock her hand away from his shoulder and failed. "You were too busy hunting down Erica and Boyd, remember?"

Allison released him and Scott could tell his remark had stung her. He regretted his harsh words and tried to smooth things over. Apparently, he sucked at fighting with Allison.

He didn't see the point in telling her that her mother tried to murder him in cold blood. It wouldn't accomplish anything other than spoiling Allison's memory of her and Scott hadn't wanted to do that.

"Why would I tell you something awful about your mother? Especially after she killed herself! After everything you went through with Kate? I couldn't do that to you."

Scott watched her face as Allison took that information in. He braced himself for another outburst but without warning, Allison wrapped Scott in a tight hug. A really tight hug.

"Uh, Allison, can't breathe. You're crushing me," he wheezed. She let go and they looked at each other awkwardly. Finally, Scott broke the silence. "What was that for?"

"For being you," said Allison.

"But I'm you."

Allison laughed and started walking. "Come on, we're almost to the rock."


	4. Chapter 4

It wasn't there.

"You're kidding," Allison swore and slashed the nearest tree with her claws. "You've got to be fu..."

"Ok, maybe you should dial it down." Scott grabbed her arm before she could swipe at another tree. "Shredding trees won't solve anything."

She snarled at him, she really couldn't help it. He didn't budge. Lucky for her, Scott wasn't intimidated by werewolves.

"We really need to find your anchor," Scott muttered. "I don't think I can take much more of this."

"Don't be so melodramatic, Scott." Allison replied.

"Easy for you to say. I have to leave you alone with my mom." Allison cringed and Scott's eyes flicked downwards. "We should go."

He walked back into the woods and Allison followed.

"How do we handle your mom? What if I...shift in front of her? I don't want to blow your secret."

"She already knows."

"She does?" Allison stumbled in surprise. "When did she find out?"

"The night Matt took us hostage at the station."

"How'd she take it?"

"She didn't talk to me for over a week." He kicked at the ground. "She wouldn't even look at me."

"Oh, Scott, I'm sorry." Allison said. "I didn't know."

"Well, we've made progress." He picked up his pace. "Exactly why I need to teach you some control. I can't have you wrecking everything."

Allison bristled at the accusation, but she forced herself to calm down when she saw the worry on Scott's face. She knew how much his mom meant to him. His mom was all he had, just like her dad was all she had, now.

"So what do I have to do?"

"First, we should get back and call Stiles. Find out what he's discovered. Then, we'll work on figuring out your anchor."

When they got back to Scott's house it was after six o'clock. They went up to Scott's room and he sat on the bed while Allison plunked down on the desk chair.

"Where _is_ your mom?"

"She's pulling a double today. When she gets back, she'll crash. Then she's got another shift tomorrow. You won't see her until Friday afternoon. You should have a better handle on things by then. I hope." He picked up his cell phone from where Allison had left it on the bed and dialed Stiles. "Hey, it's me. What'd you find out?"

Thanks to werewolf senses, Allison was able to hear both sides of the conversation.

"It's not looking good," Stiles said. "I found some information on body switching, but most of it is related to voodoo and so far nothing I've come across mentions any way to reverse it."

"Perfect," Scott sighed and ran his hand through his hair. His fingers got stuck part-way, and he scowled as he tried to untangle them.

"Oh! There are also a couple of legends about fairies and body-swapping, but they're all kinda vague."

"Fairies?" Allison rolled her eyes. "He can't honestly expect us to believe that fairies are to blame."

"Is Allison listening in?" Stiles sounded annoyed.

Scott looked at Allison. "Seems like it."

"The worse news is, I don't have a lead on your coin."

"Really?" Scott stopped fidgeting with his hair. "Crap."

"Well, I've only just begun looking into it. Don't worry, buddy, I'm sure I'll find something. Otherwise, we can go to Deaton."

"Thanks," Scott replied.

"How late are you staying there?" Stiles asked.

"Probably not long after dinner. I don't want Mr. Argent to get suspicious," Scott started fussing with his T-shirt. "Right now, we're working on finding Allison an anchor and then tomorrow I think we'll do some training."

"Ok. Let me know what you need."

"I'll call you later." Scott hung up the phone and tossed it onto the bed. "Right, so let's figure out your anchor."

"How do I do that?" Allison leaned back in her chair.

"You need to find something that ties you to your human side."

Allison snorted. "That's helpful."

"I'm sorry, but it's the best explanation I've got."

"Well, what's your anchor?"

Scott rubbed his arm and Allison wondered why he seemed so nervous. "Um, well it's changed since the beginning. But, basically, it's protecting the people I care about."

"How did you figure it out?" Allison asked, curious. She knew Scott exerted some power over his transformations, she just didn't realize there was a method to it. She'd never seen anything about it in her Dad's reference materials or the Bestiary. Her family's general assumption was that werewolves didn't command much control over the shift.

"Trial and error. Stiles pelted me with a lot of lacrosse balls. But my anchor was pretty obvious once I thought about it." Scott blushed. Allison heard a slight change in the rhythm of his heartbeat. _Telltale heart_, she thought. She chose not to press the issue.

"So how do I know what it is for me?"

Scott leaned forward, elbows on his knees. He rested his chin on his clasped hands. He closed his eyes for a moment, thoughtful. Allison watched him and she found herself thinking about the way Scott's brown curls seemed to soften his angular face. _My curls, my face_, she corrected herself. She wasn't sure why she thought of them as Scott's just then. She shifted in her chair, uncomfortable at the idea. Scott finally broke the silence.

"When do you feel most like yourself?"

Allison idly spun around in the chair. She tried to remember the times when she felt her calmest, her most centered.

"When I'm at the archery range," she answered. It was true. When she stepped onto the range, bow in hand, the rest of the world didn't matter. It was just her, her bow and the target.

"Should have guessed." Scott grimaced. "Well, close your eyes and picture yourself at the archery range. Visualize yourself..." he gulped. "Shooting a target. See it happen. Feel yourself going through the motions. The sounds you hear. All of it."

Allison closed her eyes and imagined she was at her old range. She pictured her hands-her real hands-pulling an arrow from her quiver. She felt her fingertips brush the fletchings. She heard the satisfying 'click' as the arrow knocked into place when she loaded her bow. She felt the familiar tension as she pulled the string taut and sighted the target. She imagined releasing the arrow and everything fell away as it flew towards the target.

"Well?" Scott's voice broke the spell. "Did you feel any calmer?"

"Yeah," Allison said. "I think this could work."

"Great. We'll put it to the test tomorrow. Let's grab some food, I'm starving."

"Ok."

Dinner was remarkably normal. Allison enjoyed pigging out while Scott watched on with horror.

"God, I hope I don't look like that when I eat," he said, wrinkling his nose up in disgust.

"Oh, I remember a few dates when you definitely looked worse," Allison retorted. "Remember the night we went to Maggiano's?"

Scott waved Allison's reply aside with his hand. "That was different."

They were almost finished eating when Scott suddenly grabbed Allison's hand. She felt her face grow hot from his touch, but Scott didn't seem to notice. Instead, his eyes were zeroed in on the bar.

"See that guy at the bar? The one with silver hair?"

Allison followed his gaze. At the far end of the bar sat a slim man with silver hair and a green drink in a martini glass on the bar top in front of him. He was looking in their direction.

"Yeah. Why's he drinking an appletini? It smells revolting."

"I think he's staring at us." Scott whispered.

Allison looked again at the man. His eyes were a brilliant green and she tried to catch his scent, in what she hoped was an inconspicuous manner. Something seemed off about the way he smelled, but she wasn't sure what it was. Suddenly, the man met Allison's gaze. She felt a shiver run down her spine. He raised his glass and winked at her.

"Scott, let's go." Allison pulled her hand back. Scott looked at the man and Allison could plainly read the frustration on his face.

After a few seconds, Scott stopped staring and nodded. "Ok. We'll pick it up again tomorrow. I'll come over around ten."

Allison watched Scott get up from the booth and she hoped to hell she wouldn't do anything they'd both regret in the meantime.

That night she dreamt she was running in a forest. She was herself again-her usual lightness returned and her bow and a quiver of arrows slung across her back. As she raced through the trees, she could see a dark form keeping pace with her. She ran until she came to a clearing that ended with a cliff. With nowhere to go, she turned back towards the woods but found herself face-to-face with a large wolf. It was black and had yellow eyes that glowed. Not unlike Scott's, she thought. The wolf circled her slowly and Allison watched the animal warily, bow at the ready. After it made a complete trip around her, the wolf emitted a high whine.

"What do you want?" She asked.

The wolf lay down on the dirt and whined again.

Allison jolted awake, her heart pounding and her fingers formed into claws.

* * *

Scott woke up the second day still feeling a little off. He was sluggish in Allison's body, as if he was constantly a step behind but he moved a little easier than the day before. Her reflexes weren't terrible, he decided. Just not what he was used to.

It didn't help matters that Scott spent half the night wide awake, terrified of being forced to sleep only a couple of rooms away from Mr. Argent. He kept waiting for Allison's dad to barge into the bedroom and level a handgun at his chest. It made sleep a distant hope.

Scott dressed quickly and packed a backpack with running gear, in preparation for the training he and Stiles had organized for Allison today. Since they had a cross-country practice on Monday, they thought a run in the woods would be a good way for her to practice controlling her speed. Satisfied he had what he needed, Scott headed down to the kitchen for breakfast.

Mr. Argent was already at the table and looked up from his newspaper when Scott entered the room.

"Morning," Mr. Argent said before returning his attention back to the paper.

"Hey," Scott said.

He walked over to the fridge and looked for a girl-appropriate breakfast. He grabbed a container of yogurt and walked over to the counter to grab a spoon. He had no idea which drawer was the silverware drawer, but he picked the most likely candidate. Luckily, he guessed correctly and Scott was able to snatch a spoon without arousing Argent's suspicions. He made a mental note to explore the house and kitchen when Allison's dad wasn't there.

"So, what's on the agenda today, sweetheart?"

"Um, the library and then I thought I'd go for a run in the preserve."

Argent laid his paper on the table. His face had an expression Scott had never seen on it before: affection.

"Listen, Allison. I know you're worried about going back to school here. About seeing.." Argent's face darkened. "...Scott and your other friends. It'll be hard at first, but I promise you, it will get easier."

Scott swallowed a spoonful of yogurt. He wondered why the Argents had come back at all. Allison hadn't mentioned it yesterday. Maybe they knew something about the alpha pack.

"What if something happens?"

"You're to stay out of it, like we discussed. You and I are not involved in the family business any more. The others can handle it," Argent picked up his newspaper. "Besides, it's been quiet this summer. We might not have anything to worry about. The Hales aren't likely to cause more trouble in their own town and Isaac will follow Derek's lead. Scott seems determined to remain an omega, so he shouldn't be a problem."

So they didn't know about the alphas after all. Scott made another mental note to mention something to Allison. Scott wondered how many 'others' would come if things started to get ugly. He suspected his chances of escaping their notice would be nonexistent when they arrived in Beacon Hills.

It was times like these he wished he did have a pack, but he couldn't convince himself that Derek could be the Alpha he needed. The trust between them just wasn't there. As for Isaac, Scott knew he still felt loyal to Derek and he hesitated interfering with Derek's own pack.

"So what's on your agenda today?" Scott asked. He wondered what Argent did now that he seemed to have given up being a hunter.

"Making more contacts in the local enforcement and security community. Luckily, my cover was a genuine business." Argent folded up his paper. "Speaking of which, I have a meeting to get to." He got up from the table and walked over to Scott. Instinctively, Scott froze. Allison's dad leaned over and kissed the top of his head. "Have a good day, sweetie. Love you."

"Love you, too," Scott echoed, severely freaked out. He held his breath until he heard Argent close the front door behind him. Once alone, he heaved a sigh of relief. He didn't think he'd survive much more father-daughter bonding without suffering a heart attack.


	5. Chapter 5

When Scott arrived, Allison was watching his bedroom TV in her pajamas and eating a bowl of cereal. She heard his car pull up, but she didn't bother moving. She was having too much fun lounging.

"Hey Scott, I'm in here!" She called out when she heard the front door open. She listened to Scott's steps on the stairs. She couldn't get over how much she noticed now. Even without looking, it was like she could see the actions of all the people within her periphery. It was amazing.

"Allison! You're not even dressed." Scott walked into his bedroom and tossed his backpack onto the bed. "We don't have all day, you know."

"Fine." She drained the milk from her cereal bowl and left it on the desk. Scott unzipped the backpack and took out a heap of Allison's running clothes.

"What are we doing today?" Allison eyed the pile of clothes.

"We're going running. We have cross-country practice on Monday, so you need to be able to run like a normal person."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You'll see. Stop worrying and just get dressed already."

Allison selected some shorts and a T-shirt from the dresser and waited for Scott to go into the bathroom to change. Instead, he began undressing right in front of her.

"Scott!" Allison's mouth dropped open. "What are you doing?"

"Getting dressed," he replied. He took off his shirt, not bothering to conceal his chest or face away from her. With an ease Allison had a hard time believing, he pulled on a sports bra. "Unlike you."

"But you're doing it in front of me!"

He rolled his eyes.

"What the big deal? It's not like we both haven't already seen each other naked. Or have you forgotten that part? Besides, you see yourself naked every day. " He shimmied off his jeans and turned to look at her, now just wearing a sports bra and panties. "Maybe I should be more concerned with what you're doing when I'm not here."

"What are you implying?" Allison put her hands on her hips in a very un-boy-like manner. Scott pulled on his shorts and Allison noticed that they did seem awfully tiny from this perspective. They barely covered her ass. Maybe her dad had been on to something.

"Just that maybe you've taken your new equipment for a test drive." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and Allison turned beet red.

"I can't believe you would even say that!"

"Really? You haven't tried? Not even once?" Scott now pulled a T-shirt over his head. "Huh."

"Oh, my god! Scott, you didn't!"

"Didn't what?" Scott grinned.

"That!" Allison pointed at him. "You wouldn't dare!"

"Maybe I did and maybe I didn't." He winked at her. "A lady never tells."

Scott pulled his hair up into a ponytail.

Allison's stood dumbstruck.

She thought about all the times Scott's clever fingers had done exactly what he hinted at. Surely, Scott wouldn't be bold enough to do that if he was on the receiving end. Or would he? Neither he nor Allison were shy about sex and the memory of Scott's hands trailing up her thighs flashed into her mind before she could stop it. Suddenly the room grew hot and for the second time in as many days she felt Scott's dick harden in response to her thoughts. It was painfully obvious beneath the thin cotton boxers she'd picked to sleep in. She tried to will it away before Scott noticed.

She did not succeed.

"Oh, my god!" He gaped at her. "Don't tell me you just got turned on by seeing yourself half-naked! Allison!"

"No." She tried to appear irritated, but it was difficult when she couldn't stop thinking about what was happening below her waist. "I did not get turned on by seeing myself half-naked."

"Were you thinking about me?" He stepped in close to her and she could smell the vanilla from her favorite body lotion. Apparently, Scott's body liked the way it smelled, because the bulge between her legs swelled. "You remember that one time that we..." Scott leaned into her, his voice breathy. She began to feel lightheaded.

"Scott, knock it off!" She pushed him away. She didn't need any more physical stimulation. "I don't need you making things worse."

Scott grinned and walked towards the door. "It's not easy being this attractive. You'll see."

* * *

Allison refused to look at Scott as he drove them to the preserve.

"Allison, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have teased you like that." Scott suppressed a smile when he thought about the situation back at the house.

Allison changed the radio station. Scott now felt guilty. He hadn't actually tried anything like what he joked about; he'd been too scared of being down the hall from her Dad last night to even think about it.

"Listen, I'll try to be more considerate. And I won't say anything to the guys, promise. Not even Stiles." Scott glanced over at Allison. She ignored him. "I know it's weird 'cause girls don't get as horny as guys."

"You have no idea what you're talking about." Allison scoffed.

"What?"

"Girls get horny too."

"They do?" Scott's eyes widened.

"Yeah, we do. All the time."

"All the time? Really?" Scott hadn't expected this. Clearly, the girls he knew hid it well.

"You're just too preoccupied with your own equipment to notice," Allison smirked.

"Well, I'm not sure I'll get horny like you say," said Scott confidently.

"We'll see about that," Allison replied.

He wondered what it'd feel like if he'd got turned on now that he was a girl. Scott doubted that he'd be caught in a situation where he would be thinking about sex; he had too much to focus on right now. But even if he was, no one else had to know. Not broadcasting when his interest was piqued was a small bonus to being stuck in Allison's body.

He did miss being able to enjoy his former perspective when it came to Allison's very attractive body. He thought about the first time they had sex. He remembered everything about it: how she smelled like vanilla mixed with a hint of the forest, how her breath caught in her throat when he kissed her, how her skin tasted salty on his tongue, how she arched her back as she lowered herself onto his hips.

He became acutely aware of a tingling sensation coming from between his legs. He shifted uncomfortably, surprised by the intensity. _Damn_, Scott thought as his face burned from the heat his thoughts had generated. It looked like he could get turned on as a girl, after all.

"Thinking of me?" Allison asked, sweetly.

"Shut up, Allison," he grumbled. "No one likes a know-it-all."

Thankfully, the entrance for the preserve appeared on their right and Scott steered the car into the lot. Stiles's bright blue Jeep was already there and Scott could see his friend waiting for them next to it, dressed in running gear as they had planned.

Scott got out of the car and Allison followed suit. Suddenly, her eyes shifted gold and she stopped in her tracks. Isaac walked around from the back of the Jeep, smug expression on his face.

"What's he doing here?" She growled and Scott was taken aback at how real it sounded.

"Well, look who came back to town," Isaac said. "This should be interesting." He leaned against the Jeep and watched Allison. Scott watched her too and observed that her hands had started to shift.

"Allison, relax," he hissed. "Isaac is here to help us."

"Why would he?" She looked back at Scott, her breathing now ragged. He recognized that look; he'd seen it on every werewolf he knew. If Allison didn't call on her anchor soon, it was only a matter of minutes before she'd lose it and shift completely.

"Because," Isaac said. He stepped forward and now his eyes became gold as well. "Scott asked me to. That's what friends do. They watch each other's backs." Stiles coughed loudly. Isaac ignored him. "They don't creep back into town without a word like cowards."

"You take that back," Allison roared and with surprising speed she closed the distance between herself and Isaac. Her claws grew longer. Isaac flashed his fangs and brought his hand back, claws unsheathed, ready to strike.

"Enough!" Scott inserted himself between them, hands held out. They froze. "You both need to stop this. Right now." He stared at Isaac and Isaac stepped back, returning to his human form as he moved.

"Fine." Isaac said. "But I'm not doing this because I want to help her."

Scott looked at Allison. "Allison. _Anchor."_ She balled her hands into fists and lowered her head. After a moment, her claws melted away. When she raised her head to face Scott, her eyes had changed back as well.

"Well, I think that went better than expected," Stiles said, walking up to Scott. He clapped him on the shoulder. "Everyone's still in one piece, so I'd even call that a win."

Scott eyed Allison and Isaac, not bothering to conceal his anger with them. "Anybody got anything else they want to say before we get started?"

Neither werewolf spoke.

"Then let's get going."


	6. Chapter 6

Scott split them up into pairs. He went up ahead with Isaac and Allison ran alongside Stiles.

"You ok?" Stiles asked her, struggling to match her pace. Allison now understood what Scott had meant about running like a normal person. She felt like she was barely moving, but Stiles looked like he was about to fall over in his attempts to keep up.

"If you're wondering if I'm going to shift again, then the answer is that I'm fine."

"I wasn't, but that's good to know," Stiles huffed. "God, you're not even breaking a sweat! I'm so freaking jealous."

"You mean envious," Allison corrected. Was she the only one who paid attention in English class?

"Whatever." Stiles slowed and Allison did the same. "So, how are you and Scott doing?"

"Fine. I guess."

"Fine?"

"Well, we're speaking to each other, aren't we?"

"Yeah. It's just that a lot's changed since you left." Stiles cast a sideways glance at Allison. "There are some new dynamics at play."

"So I noticed. Why is Scott even hanging out with Isaac? Isn't he in Derek's pack?" Allison asked. She didn't worry about Isaac eavesdropping on them; he and Scott were more than a mile ahead of them.

"Oh, that." Stiles said. He avoided looking at Allison. "That's complicated."

"Scott's an omega, Isaac's in Derek's pack. How's that complicated?"

"Like I said, you missed a lot this summer," Stiles replied. "The short version is that Lahey and Scott may have formed a pack bond a couple weeks back. However, Lahey's still somewhat loyal to Derek. So the whole thing is pretty tenuous."

"What?" Allison stopped so abruptly that Stiles nearly ran into her. "Scott's an alpha?"

"Whoa! Don't do that!" Stiles yelled. "And I don't know if that makes Scott an alpha. He doesn't like to talk about it."

"How did they form a bond?"

"I think it's better if you ask Scott that question," Stiles said. Allison twitched her lips. She knew better than to try to get Stiles to tell her something Scott wanted kept secret.

"What did Derek do?" Allison posed a less sensitive question.

"Nothing. He's pissed, but I think he's still trying to convince Scott to join his pack."

"Really? Good luck with that."

"I know," Stiles shook his head. "Some people don't know when to quit." He started running again and Allison did the same.

Allison thought about this new information. Derek had once told Scott he was already Alpha of his own pack, but since his pack at the time consisted of her and Stiles, she assumed the older werewolf was mocking Scott. But maybe there'd been a grain of truth to the comment.

She thought back to how Scott took control of the situation since the moment he'd called her. How Isaac had come to help when he asked and how Isaac had also backed off when Scott told him to. How she had listened to Scott when he told her to use her anchor. How they all went along with his plan when he split them into pairs.

Was this proof that Scott had progressed from an omega into an alpha?

She hoped for Scott's sake that Stiles and Derek were wrong. If Scott became an alpha, she had no doubt that her family and their allies would hunt him down and kill him without regards for his youth or lack of human victims. Argents didn't let alphas live-they were too dangerous.

They rounded a bend and found Scott and Isaac waiting for them.

"Oh thank god," Stiles stopped running. "I need a break."

Isaac laughed. "Tired already, Stiles? How will you survive practice?"

"We're going to switch running partners," Scott announced before Stiles could respond to Isaac's insult. "Isaac, you're with Allison. Take the lead and don't hold back."

"You got it," Isaac smiled wickedly at Allison. "Come on girlie, let's see what you got." He sprinted forwards and Allison bolted after him, leaving Scott and Stiles far behind.

* * *

Monday dawned clear and hot. Not ideal running weather, but then again Scott wasn't the one running. Allison was.

They'd fallen into a rhythm over the past few days.

In the mornings, he and Allison worked on training. Scott had to admit, he was impressed with how quickly she was adapting. It'd taken him longer to get a handle on his abilities, but then again, when he turned he didn't really have anyone actively training him.

Derek had only chased him through a darkened parking lot and broke his arm. Hardly lessons that resulted in insight into mastering his werewolf side.

In the afternoons he, Allison and Stiles settled in for research. After the other day in the woods, Isaac had decided to make himself scarce. "Can't show up at the loft smelling like Argent," he said with a slight sneer at Allison. "Don't want to make the Hales freak out." Scott suspected it was really because Isaac didn't approve of Scott hanging out with Allison.

They hadn't uncovered any new leads on how to rectify their situation, but Scott was optimistic that when they talked to Deaton this afternoon the vet could shed some light of new avenues to research.

When he arrived at the track, he staked out a spot beneath the bleachers to wait for Allison and Stiles to arrive. Allison spotted Scott and made her way over to him while Stiles joined the rest of the team.

"Hey," Allison said and smiled at him.

Scott was struck by how comfortable she seemed. He could see it in the way she carried herself, how her mannerisms had become more masculine and she'd become less self-conscious about it. She seemed to acclimate with a quickness he failed to mimic. Given that he was the one who pretended to be something he wasn't every day, this surprised him. He discovered that every reminder of the person he no longer was tugged at something deep in the back of his mind.

He wouldn't admit it, but he felt somewhat at a loss without the Other hiding beneath his skin. He still dreamt of the moonless forest, only now when he reached the cliff he had only the city lights below for company.

There were moments when he didn't think of his limbs or features as Allison's, but as his own. Those moments disturbed him; they reminded him of when the Other used to seize control. But this transformation was more subtle, more insidious. He wondered how long it would be before he forgot what it was like to be himself. He had to hold on to the hope that whatever had happened to them could be reversed. He worried that after a few more days, it might not matter anymore.

"You ready?" Scott asked and she nodded. "Remember, if you're going faster than Isaac, you're going too fast."

"Thanks, mom." Allison cast her eyes heavenward. "Is that it?"

"I'll see you when it's over. Good luck." Scott said, not bothering to hide his annoyance. Not that Allison couldn't smell it. She gave him a funny look and then headed over towards the rest of the team.

Scott took a seat in the top row of the bleachers. Not only would he have an unspoiled view of the track and surrounding fields, but it was the perfect place for him to hide out without anyone bothering him. He watched the team assemble at the starting line-Coach's plan was to have them start at the track and make their way to the path that crisscrossed the woods behind the school. He'd miss some of the race, but if he couldn't see anything, neither would the rest of the team. He had no doubt Isaac and Allison would be far enough out front to escape scrutiny from their teammates.

Coach sounded his air horn and Scott settled back to wait for the race to start. His gaze wandered until he noticed someone staring at him halfway down the next section over. It was a heavyset man wearing a baseball cap, sunglasses and dark green hoodie. Scott saw a flash of silver beneath the man's cap. He sat up and tried to glimpse the man's eyes hidden behind the dark sunglasses. As if he knew what Scott was attempting, the man lowered his glasses and met Scott's gaze. His eyes were green.

"Nice of you to let your best friend know you're back in town." A tart voice from his right interrupted Scott's thoughts.

"What?" Scott glanced up to see Lydia Martin glaring at him, arms crossed and tapping a high-heeled shoe impatiently. "Lydia. Hi."

"Hi? Is that all you really have to say to me?" The pretty redhead sat beside Scott and looked at him expectantly. "Not, hey sorry I didn't tell you I came back? Or, sorry I didn't tell you the truth about Jackson and werewolves?"

Scott looked back to where the man had been, but there was no one there. His eyes frantically darted around the stands. The man couldn't have gone far; it wasn't as if people just up and vanished. Well, unless they were werewolves. He really hoped the man wasn't a werewolf, it already felt as if Beacon Hills was overrun with lycanthropes as it was.

"Dammit," Scott cursed.

"Oh, I'm sorry, am I bothering you, Allison?" The name brought Scott back to the moment.

"Actually, I'm not Allison."

"Very funny," Lydia pursed her lips. "Now you're just insulting me."

"No, really. I'm Scott," Scott said.

Lydia stood up. "I think we're done here."

"Wait!" Scott got to his feet. "I can prove it!"

Lydia raised her hands. "Be my guest."

"Last week you met me in the chem lab. We talked about Peter Hale and you told me you brought him back from the dead. You said he made you see things; just like he made me see things."

Lydia paled and sat back down, eyes straight ahead. Scott did the same. After a minute she looked over at him.

"How?" Her intelligent face was grim.

"We're not sure," Scott sighed. "Our only lead is some sort of coin we both picked up in the woods a few days ago."

"I didn't even know she came back," Lydia said quietly.

"Me either. I only found out because I woke up like this." Scott touched his chest. "Not the best way to find out your ex has come back to town."

She patted Scott on the leg. "Don't you worry, we'll figure out how to switch you back. And then I'll give Ms. Argent a proper talking to about not disclosing her return."


	7. Chapter 7

Allison and Isaac easily took the lead, leaving the rest of the team, including Stiles, in their wake.

She was more nervous than she expected at the idea of running in front of everyone. She knew the smallest mistake could make things more difficult for not only her, but for Scott once things returned to normal.

And the only person she had for backup as they raced down the trails was a werewolf she attacked just only a few months ago. A werewolf who didn't bother to disguise his hatred of her. By all rights, she should feel even worse having such an enemy serve as her only ally on the field. Isaac didn't bother to speak to her or even look at her.

But despite this, his presence calmed her.

Could Stiles be right? Did Scott and Isaac form some sort of bond? If so, then Allison reasoned she should be able to detect it.

She wondered why Scott hadn't mentioned it in the five days since they switched places. He told her a lot of what she'd missed that summer, right down to the possibility of an alpha pack in town. Every time she'd tried to steer the conversation to Isaac he changed the subject.

She jogged behind Isaac and tried to direct her attention on picking up any unusual vibes from him. A small catalog of emotions filtered through: confusion, irritation, fear and concern. It was on this last emotion Allison focused.

Unlike Scott's concern for her or Stiles's safety, Isaac's concern was tinged with something else. It was rougher, more primal. _Not human._ Intrigued, Allison ignored Scott's warning and matched her speed to Isaac's.

"What are you doing?" Isaac glanced at her anxiously and his heartbeat quickened. "You're supposed to stay back."

"Relax, Isaac, no one's watching," she responded in an authoritative voice, like she imagined Scott would. Isaac's pulse dropped back down to normal at her tone. "I just want to talk to you a little."

"We've got nothing to talk about."

"Oh really? It's sweet how protective you are of Scott, but I wonder what Derek thinks."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm not dumb, Isaac. There's something going on between you and Scott. I can sense it. Something happened."

"Talk to Scott."

"You sound like Stiles."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"Listen, it's not any of your business. It's between me and Scott. Keep your hunter nose out of it."

"Considering I'm stuck in Scott's body, it _is_ my business. As is the alpha pack."

"Stiles told you about that too? Kid doesn't know when to shut up." Isaac shook his head.

"Actually, Scott did."

They ran for a minute in silence and Isaac finally spoke.

"Listen, Allison. You may be Scott, technically, but it's not the same. I'm not gonna discuss this stuff with you. Get it?"

Allison was surprised at his earnestness-Isaac meant every word he had said. She could feel an underlying loyalty to Scott. It seemed like there was still something she was missing.

"I get it. But I need to be in the loop."

"If Scott isn't talking about it, I don't see why I need to," replied Isaac.

"If something happened and propels Scott further into this whole werewolf business, things become more dangerous for him."

"More dangerous?" The boy snorted.

"My family's allies don't let alphas live, Isaac. He'll become a target."

"One, that's interesting you assume he becomes Alpha. Two, the idea that I'm gonna get him killed is funny coming from you." Isaac kept his eyes straight ahead but his anger curled off him like smoke.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Allison snarled.

"If anyone's gonna get McCall killed, it's you. After all, it's being with you that almost got him killed twice already."

"That's not true!"

"Your aunt. Your mom. Maybe next time it'll be you. If you really cared about Scott, you'd stay away. Maybe that's why you came back-maybe you don't care."

"You're wrong." She reached out and grabbed Isaac's arm. For an instant, the world shifted into red and an image flashed into her mind of claws tearing into flesh. _Her claws._ She wasn't alone, another was at the scene, watching her, waiting for a sign to join in. _Isaac._ She felt warm blood flowing down her skin and her teeth bite down onto a throat, silencing her prey's frantic cry.

Allison gasped and let go. Isaac looked at her, puzzled. The edge of the woods came into view and Isaac looked forwards.

"Remember, stay back. Or you'll ruin everything."

He pushed through the tree line and Allison fell back, still reeling from the vision.

As she cleared the trees the stands came into view and she could see Scott talking to Lydia. Hopefully Scott was smoothing things over better than she could.

Isaac already had reached the finish and she resisted the urge to sprint, instead approaching the end in even, measured steps. When she stopped, she turned to watch the others come in, but she and Isaac were so far out in front no one else had yet made it through the woods.

Allison walked over to the cooler to get water. She wasn't that thirsty, but she knew it was the expected thing to do. Each action, even the small ones had to be reviewed before she committed them. It was exhausting how much work went into appearing normal. She had a greater appreciation for how much effort Scott exerted trying to keep his secret under wraps.

"Looking good, McCall. I bet you'll beat Lahey next time." A flirtatious voice interrupted her thoughts and Allison turned to see Amy Sherman standing there, hand on her hip and a coy smile on her pretty face. _Since when does Amy talk to Scott?_

"Amy. Hi." Allison wasn't sure how she should act and decided to talk to her like it was normal. The cheerleader flicked her blonde hair over her shoulder and sidled up to her. Allison suppressed an eye-roll. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to see if you were going to Greenberg's party on Friday."

"Why?" Allison blinked.

"Well, I figured we could pick up where we left off last time."

"Where did we leave off?" Allison asked.

Amy closed the distance between them and looked up into Allison's face. Allison could smell her coconut lotion and something else. _Desire._ Allison swallowed and tried to take a step back, but Amy moved with her. She really had no idea how to react now.

"Right about here." Amy leaned in and kissed her, hard. The sudden move caught Allison so off guard that she reacted instinctively and kissed Amy back. Amy pulled away and curved her lips into a smile.

"Looks like you remember after all." She turned and headed over to a group of girls standing nearby.

Dumbfounded, Allison just watched her go. _Had she really just kissed Amy Sherman? In front of the entire track team? In front of..._

"Allison!" Scott yanked on her arm and spun her so she was facing him. His eyes narrowed and his mouth was firmly set in a thin line. "What are you doing! I can't believe you kissed Amy!"

"I can't believe _you_ kissed Amy!" She retorted and she could feel her face redden.

"First of all, it's different because that was me!" Scott blushed. "This is you, doing things with my body. In front of the whole school!"

"Oh, because making out at Greenberg's party is so discreet. Amy told me all about it. And besides, she kissed me!"

"Oh, my god. This sucks." Scott buried his face in his hands.

"Oh, my god, that was awesome!" Stiles came up to them. "You just kissed Amy Sherman in front of everybody!"

"Apparently she wants a repeat performance at Greenberg's party this Friday," Allison smirked. "Maybe I'll give it to her. She's not a half-bad kisser."

"Yes, you totally should," Stiles said. "And I'm so going to that party, by the way."

"No, you shouldn't!" Scott glowered at Stiles. "It's a terrible idea."

"I agree. I think you could do better." Lydia strolled up to them and her expression was bemused. She looked Allison up and down. "Hello, Allison. It's nice to see you."

"You told Lydia?" She looked at Scott, mortified. She was never going to live this down.

"Of course I told Lydia! She can help us get back to normal. She is the smartest person in our class, after all."

Lydia patted Allison's arm. "Don't worry, it'll be fun. I love a good research project."

"Oh good," Allison cringed. "This just keeps getting better."

"What am I, chopped liver?" Stiles punched Scott on the arm. "I've got great research skills!"

* * *

Scott insisted they head over to the clinic right after practice, rather than wait until the afternoon like they had planned. The vet hadn't batted an eye when they had arrived to explain the situation. He simply flipped the sign on the door to "closed" and began consulting his books.

"The coin you described sounds like a totem used by the fae to play tricks on susceptible mortals," Dr. Deaton said.

"Ha! I knew it! It's fairies!" Stiles pumped his fist in the air triumphantly. "I was right. Deaton says so."

"It's fairies?" Allison groaned. "First werewolves, now fairies? Please tell me this is a joke."

"It's no joke. Although, I would think someone in your position would be a little more open-minded, Allison." Deaton looked at Allison. Scott thought he had a point. As someone who woke up in someone else's body, Allison should be able to suspend her disbelief in hopes of being cured.

"What's a joke is that we're taking supernatural advice from a vet," Lydia said. She cast a skeptical look at Deaton. "How, exactly, are you qualified to help with this?"

Deaton raised an eyebrow; it was the closest Scott had ever seen him to appearing annoyed.

"Because, he's been dealing with this for years," Stiles defended the vet. "He figured out what Jackson was and how to stop Gerard. So maybe you should listen to him."

Scott saw Allison look away at the mention of her grandfather. He wanted to squeeze her hand, but he was unsure how she'd take it. He knew how guilty she felt at giving in to Gerard's manipulations; maybe she wouldn't want to be comforted by him.

"I could have figured that out if you had told me anything!" Lydia sulked. "I'm not convinced, Stiles."

Stiles's mouth dropped open. "What? How can you not..."

"Everyone, quiet!" Scott raised his hands. "At least we have a lead. It doesn't matter what did it, so long as we can fix it. I trust Dr. Deaton to help us."

"Thank you, Scott," Deaton said. "And I think I have a book that may help. I'll be right back."

He left the room leaving the four of them to sit in silence. His calm presence made Scott feel better about the situation but Allison didn't seem to feel the same level of ease. Deaton didn't seem to dislike her, but Scott knew Deaton hadn't liked other people in her family. Scott trusted his boss to put his personal feelings towards the Argents aside to help them and he hoped Allison realized that.

"Maybe I was better off not knowing. This strains all credibility," Lydia said in a bored voice. She began twirling a lock of hair around her finger. "Are you sure Scott's boss knows what he's talking about?"

"You can leave if you want to, Lydia. No one's making you stay," Allison said and Scott could see she'd balled her hands into fists. Allison was already on edge and Lydia's sarcasm didn't help.

Lydia stopped twirling her hair and the mask of boredom slipped from her face. She looked at Allison, hurt.

"No, I want to help you."

"We know you do." Scott glared at Allison. "We're all just a little tense right now."

Allison opened her mouth to reply, but Deaton returned before she could say anything. The vet was carrying a green leather-bound book the size of a dictionary and twice as thick. The spine was cracked from frequent use and Scott could see faint gold-lettering that had partially rubbed off.

"And here we are," Deaton placed the book on the exam table and they crowded around him. Gently, he opened the cover. Allison gagged as dust flew up from the ancient pages. For once, Scott didn't miss his sense of smell. He stifled a laugh and Allison shot him a dirty look.

After turning what seemed like hundreds of pages, Deaton stopped.

"Are these the symbols you both saw on the coin?" He turned the book around so Scott and Allison could see. There were a few images scattered throughout long lines of heavy print text in a foreign language and Deaton pointed to two smaller images located in the middle of the left page. Scott breathed in sharply-the images matched the faces of the coin, down to the double-banded lines encircling the two dragons.

"Yes," Scott said. "They're the same."

"How about you Allison? Are they the same?" Deaton looked at Allison and she nodded.

"Exactly the same."

"What do they mean?" Stiles asked. He picked up the book and attempted to read it. "What language is this? Latin?"

Lydia took the book from his hands. "Here, let me." She scanned the pages quickly. "It's old English. And it says that the coin is a favorite trick of a wood sprite. Apparently, he likes to play jokes on people. He liked to leave the coin in the woods and the first two creatures who touched it would find themselves 'switched in form until Puck had his fun and laid the coin in their path again.'"

"So this is just some prank? We're at the mercy of a stranger and he'll just switch us back when he gets bored?" Allison leaned away from the table and pressed her lips together into a tight frown.

Lydia turned the page and kept reading. "Actually, it says that sometimes he forgets and his victims end up changed forever."

"What?!" Allison's eyes flashed yellow. Scott grabbed her hand and dug his nails in, hard. Allison's eyes changed back.

"Are you sure there's nothing else we can do?" He asked Deaton.

"If I may," Deaton held out his hand and Lydia passed him the book. He leafed through a couple pages. "There may be a way. There's mention of a counter curse. I may be able to track it down." He glanced at Lydia and Stiles. "With help, I might be able to reconstruct it. It could take a while though."

Deaton straightened and looked at Scott and Allison.

"Ok." Scott sighed. "Then we'll have to wait, I guess."

"Well, you could always ask him to change you back," Stiles said. "I mean, if he's playing a joke, then he's probably around watching you, right? Otherwise, what's the point? Allison should be able to sniff him out so you can talk to him."

"That's ludicrous, Stiles." Allison said. "I don't even know what he looks like. Much less what he smells like."

"Well, it says here that he/she/it /Puck likes to appear as men of all ages, but you can recognize him by his eyes like spring grass and hair that shines like silver." Lydia was now peering at the book again. "Seen anyone like that?"

Allison looked at Scott.

"Actually, we have," Scott said. "And I saw him again this morning at the track."

"Well, then." Deaton smiled. "I think it's time for you to introduce yourselves."


	8. Chapter 8

Stakeouts were boring, Allison decided. They'd been at it since they'd left the clinic two days ago and the fairy hadn't reappeared. All she and Scott had to show for their efforts were a few mediocre meals. They'd been to the mall, to school and even in the woods. Today, they'd ended up sitting at a picnic table next to the lake.

Worse than the tedium, Scott refused to sit still or relax in the moment. Instead, he checked his phone for updates from Stiles more often than a fangirl checked Tumblr.

"Scott! Give me that." Allison sighed and snatched the phone from Scott's hands.

"Hey!" Scott reached for his phone. "Give it back!"

He narrowed his eyes and Allison knew he wouldn't back down. By now, Allison was a pro at reading Scott's moods through her face, even better than when they'd been themselves. No doubt, the werewolf senses were largely to thank for the improvement.

Allison relented and handed him the phone. Scott scrolled through to his texts.

"They didn't discover a counter-curse in the past thirty seconds," Allison said.

Scott pocketed the phone and laid his head down on the table, arms crossed underneath his chin. Allison listened to him breathing, the rhythm a soothing backdrop to the other noises in the area. After a couple minutes, she turned her attention to scanning the park for their mystery man.

"What will we say to him?" She mused out loud. "Assuming we find him, of course?"

Scott straightened. "The truth. That we want to switch back. And we should probably be polite. Not a good idea to piss off magical beings, I think."

"Noted." She stretched her legs out. "If you told me a year ago that I would be in a park looking for a fairy so I could get switched back from the body of my werewolf ex-boyfriend, I would have had you committed."

"Wouldn't blame you," Scott agreed. "I mean, if we're real, what else is out there?"

"Vampires?" Allison suggested. Scott groaned.

"What is it with girls and vampires? They're dead! What's so attractive about a corpse? At least we're among the living."

Allison raised an eyebrow. "Well, there's the whole claws, fur and potentially killing someone at any time working against you."

"I haven't killed anyone!" Scott said, defiant. Then he paused. "Although."

"Although, what?"

She could hear his pulse racing as he wavered between telling her some secret and keeping silent. He exhaled. Was he finally going to tell her what happened with Isaac? Allison wasn't sure she was ready to know the truth. She felt like she'd seen too much already.

"Never mind."

She watched him, sitting there. It was strange, but he didn't seem ashamed. Or bothered by what he had done. Just uncertain about whether he should share. Since when had Scott become so comfortable not being human? Would she see more when she closed her eyes tonight? She thought about the vivid image of her claws ripping through the deer Scott had killed. How powerful, how unstoppable she had felt.

She could feel her blood rushing through her veins and skin began to prick, heralding the inevitable change. In that moment she hated Scott, hated being Scott. She hated that she was trapped in foreign territory with even her own instincts wrenched out of her control. She hated being stuck in this alien body.

"I need to go home." She stood up.

"Ok, I'll take you." Scott rose.

"No." Allison held up her hand. Scott froze. "Just me. I'll walk."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah." She left the lake with Scott standing by the table, unaware of what was wrong.

She dreamed again of the wolf in the forest that night. Only this time, she was in Scott's body. She could see everything in the moonless forest as clear as if the sun was up. When they reached the cliff, the wolf looked and her and howled. Allison listened as it echoed around her and when woke, she felt a deep sense of longing, but for what she didn't know.

* * *

_He and Allison were in the bedroom and they were kissing. Scott wasn't sure how they came to be there, but he didn't care. He was too caught up in the moment._

_"You sure you wanna do this?" Allison asked, a smile playing on her lips. Scott circled her waist with his hands._

_"What do you think?" He whispered, leaning in close so that his lips brushed her ear. Allison shivered at the sensation. Scott pressed his lips against hers and Allison responded with an intensity that left him breathless. She forced her tongue into his mouth before he grasped his lips had even parted._

_She held his face in her hands, as if she feared he'd pull away before she'd had her fill. Scott stepped back and fell onto the bed, drawing Allison down with him. She laughed and rose up on the bed, straddling him._

_"If you're trying to get me into bed, it's working." She eyed him hungrily, her eyes bright._

_"I have no idea what you're talking about," replied Scott. Allison laughed again and leaned down to kiss him. Her hands skimmed down his torso and before he realized what was happening, she had undone the button on his jeans and teased the zipper down. She hooked her thumbs on the waistband on his underpants and Scott groaned in anticipation of what came next._

_He reached up and pulled her in even closer, raking his nails down her back. She moved her mouth down to his neck, each kiss bringing a soft moan from his lips. He arched his back. Encouraged, Allison slipped her hands underneath the fabric barrier that separated his skin from hers. He shifted underneath her adept touch and with the quickness of a thief, her hand drifted past the point of no return and she slid a long finger into the warm opening between his legs. He gasped, raising his hips in response to the unexpected pleasure that pulsed through his body._

"Stiles, I need a counter curse, now!" Scott yelled into the phone, not bothering to say hello. "Like, _right now_."

He gripped the phone so hard, his hands turned even whiter than usual. _Allison's hands. Not his._ Scott tried to cling to his sense of self. He could feel himself forgetting again. Forgetting himself and giving in to the siren song of his senses. It was easy to do when he no longer had the Other to remind him who he really was. He no longer moved as if he didn't belong in this skin. The costume had become his reality.

"It's all disappearing. I can't get it back."

"Whoa, Scott, slow down," Stiles's concerned voice crackled over the phone. "What's disappearing?"

"Me."

"What are you talking about? You're not becoming invisible too, are you?"

"No."

"Thank God." Stiles heaved a sigh of relief. _Pause. _"What do you mean you're disappearing?"

"I mean, I'm not me anymore. I'm becoming _her_."

"Scott, I'm not following."

"I had a dream about us last night."

"Was it a sexy dream?"

"Yes." Stiles tittered and Scott frowned. "Stiles that's not the point! The point is that in the dream I wasn't me. I was _her_ and _she_ was me."

"Man, all these pronouns are making my head spin. I need a chart to keep up. So you're saying you were a girl in your dream?"

"Exactly."

"But it's just dream, Scott. It's not real. You're still you; it doesn't matter if you look like Allison or like yourself."

"But I'm starting to feel different when I'm awake, too. It's not feeling weird anymore."

The silence on the end of the line unnerved Scott.

"Stiles? You there?"

"Yeah. Listen, I'm meeting up with Deaton and Lydia in an hour. We're close to something."

"You are?"

"I think so. I think maybe you should go over to your house. Hang out in your room, in familiar surroundings. It'll make you feel better. Then try to find your mystery prankster and see if you can't get this fixed sooner."

"What about Allison?"

"She'll be fine with it. It's your room, anyway."

"Ok." Scott felt a little better. Stiles was right. He just had to spend some time back in his own world. Allison wouldn't mind-she probably felt the same way. Maybe he could return the favor and sneak her back to her room when her dad went out of town Friday night. "Thanks Stiles."

"That's what I'm here for, buddy. I'll call you later when I have an update."

Stiles hung up and Scott got dressed, putting on jeans, sneakers and the least feminine shirt in Allison's dresser. It was time for him to reconnect with the real Scott McCall.


	9. Chapter 9

Allison came out of the shower to find Scott sitting at the computer.

"Scott? What are you doing here?"

"Just hanging out before we go out looking for our evil fairy godfather. Missed my room, you know. Hope that's ok," he replied.

"Sure," Allison said, not sure at all. She hoped that Scott's being there wouldn't trigger another vision. It felt silly to be afraid of his presence, especially since she was the monster now.

Scott looked over at her before turning his attention back to the video game he was playing. "Nice outfit."

"Thanks." Allison shrugged. She was wearing only a towel around her waist, no longer self-conscious about covering up her chest from others' eyes. What was the point? She was a boy now, and if she didn't have to cover up, she wouldn't bother. "Well, that's cool. Where do you want to head to today?"

"I dunno, we could try the rock again, since that's where this all started."

"No," Allison said, with more force than she intended. Scott looked over at her, surprised. "Why don't we try the restaurant where we saw him during dinner?" She suggested.

"Ok," Scott agreed.

"Hey Scott?"

"Yeah?"

"You ever have strange dreams? When you were…you?"

Scott's pulse ticked up at her question. She had his full attention now. "What sort of dreams?"

"Well, they start with me running in a forest. And there's a wolf running next to me. And we keep running until we reach a cliff…"

"And then the wolf howls."

Allison tilted her head. "Yes."

"What does it mean?"

Scott pulled his feet up and wrapped his arms around his knees. His heart beat continued to race. He finally looked up at her, his face mournful.

"It means you need to listen."

"To what?"

"The wolf. It's…" he took a deep breath and then exhaled, slowing his heart to a normal pace. "It's your werewolf side."

"Oh. Isn't that dangerous?"

Scott shook his head. "No. When you suppress it, that's when things get out of control. It fights back. It's means you're only listening to your human side." He glanced away. "I used to be the same."

"I see." This was not something she wanted to hear. Allison didn't think she could do it. The last time she had embraced her dark side, she had hurt people. But what was she supposed to do if the only way to fight the monster was to give into it?

"I'm still having those dreams. Even like this," Scott said, his voice quiet. "Only the wolf isn't there. It's just me."

He looked so sad that Allison wanted nothing more than to make him smile again. She reached out and touched his cheek. "It's going to be alright," she told him, not believing her own words. "I promise."

He looked up at her through long lashes and she could see hope flit across his features. "Ok."

It amazed her how he willing he was to accept her words at face value. After everything, he trusted her without question. Why? He shouldn't listen to a word that came out of her mouth. She was a pretender-the obedient daughter, the fearless hunter, the sweet girl next door. All of it simply disguises she tried on, hoping one would fit.

Scott believed she was the faithful lover. When she was him, she believed it too. She believed that they could find a way to make it work. She believed that she was good enough for him. She believed that their love conquer any obstacle.

Allison thought about how things were simpler last spring, in the beginning. She knew where they stood. They had each other and nothing else mattered. Now, they were bound by an ever-fraying cord that would break when they changed back. In a few days, she would lose it all again.

In that moment, Allison vowed to seize her opportunity. To be that Allison, the one who loved a boy who believed in fate. She erased the distance between them, closed her eyes and kissed him as if it were for the very last time.

* * *

The intensity of the kiss rolled over Scott like a tidal wave sweeping into shore. It was as if every kiss they'd ever shared had been compressed into that single moment.

Allison's mouth pressed against his and it didn't feel strange-it felt right. As if he'd found something he never should have lost. He knew then that the dismay he experienced after last night's dream was unfounded. How could he have been afraid of this? He wasn't losing anything-he was gaining something that had always been his.

He responded by kissing her back and pouring all his desire, longing and passion into it the kiss. All of the times he held back for fear of hurting Allison spurred him on. For once, he could be with her and not worry that he might wreck things.

Scott realized that he wanted this, wanted _her_, right now. He knew she would be able to sense his desire and he was glad he didn't have to say anything. He could just be in the moment and let himself go, as he had wanted to since the first time they kissed.

He reached up and grabbed Allison's neck, drawing her in closer. Her hands moved down to his waist, and then drifted lower, to his hips. Scott responded in kind, gratified when Allison emitted a soft groan of pleasure. He leaned in; propelling them towards the bed and Allison fell backwards, her weight pulling him down on top of her. They continued to kiss, not bothering to speak out loud. Instead they let their bodies express what they didn't dare put into words.

He was beginning to wonder how much further they would go when Allison slipped her hand underneath his shirt and undid his bra with a single hand. _That answered that question. _Scott slipped the straps off and threw the bra to the side, now really beginning to enjoy himself while Allison's hands explored his skin.

Apparently, Allison was feeling the same way because Scott became aware a new bulge beneath the towel. Allison shifted her weight and the reminder of his previous male status now pressed up against his leg and dangerously close to his groin. He ignored the strangeness of the sensation and kissed her even harder.

He ignored the voice in the back of his mind whispering warnings about werewolves losing control. Then he felt a razor-sharp claw scrape along his back.

Scott's eyes snapped open and he pulled back, now fully aware of the fact that he was not in his own body, remembering that Allison didn't have his level of control.

"What's wrong?" Allison asked, her eyes were now gold and glazed with lust.

"I can't do this. We shouldn't be doing this."

"Relax," Allison smiled. "You still have one condom left. I already checked."

"You did?" Scott blinked in surprise.

"I found it when I was looking for a pen. I wasn't planning on using it. Well, until now, anyway." She brushed her lips against his cheek. "You don't know how much I've missed this. How much I missed you." Her lips began to move down his neck.

"Wait, Allison!" Scott pushed her back. "Stop."

Allison stopped. Scott rolled off her, pushing himself into a standing position. He stepped back from the bed, even though he knew the distance didn't offer him much protection.

"I don't understand. You want this, too. I can smell it all over you. Why stop now?" Allison sat up. The hurt look on her face pained him.

"Because. You're shifting."

"What?" She looked down at her hands and gasped. She looked at Scott, horrified. "Oh, my god! I could have killed you." She leapt to her feet, putting more distance between herself and Scott. "Oh, my god."

"Allison, it's ok. Nothing happened," he reassured her. A few scratches weren't the end of the world; she hadn't actually hurt him.

"You're wrong. Something did happen." She looked at him, and he was startled to see her eyes burning with anger. "A couple weeks ago, you killed a deer."

Scott was taken aback. "Who told you?"

"I saw." Her voice was hoarse.

"What?"

"What you did. To the deer," She looked over at Scott, her body shaking. "Isaac was there. That's why you have a bond. He helped you _kill_."

"You saw that?" Scott stared at her. "How?"

"It happened when I touched Isaac, during practice." She breathed deep and closed her eyes. "I didn't just see it. I felt it. I wish I hadn't."

"I'm sorry." He had tried to keep her from finding out about the deer. Scott knew it would freak her out and right now she had a hard enough time dealing with the basics of being a werewolf. "I didn't want you to know. I know how it seems."

She opened her eyes and Scott was astonished to see disgust in them. Not just disgust, there was fear. "How could you do that? Aren't you bothered by it?"

"I've accepted that it happened."

"But you killed something! Like some sort of…of animal!" She gaped at him. "How can you be ok with that?"

Scott met her eyes. He'd seen her family do far worse and he didn't judge her based on that. What right did Allison have to judge him when she had only been a werewolf for a few days?

"I'm not human, Allison. I'm not going to apologize for accepting what I am."

"Well, you may be ok with it. But I'm not." She lashed out at Scott, anger twisting her features into an unrecognizable mask. "You're right, you're not human-you're a monster. And now I'm forced to be a monster too."

The words cut through him like a sword laced with fire. He'd always feared Allison would think of him as a monster. Now he knew she did. Scott felt tears begin to sting his eyes. He turned and left before Allison could see him cry.


	10. Chapter 10

Allison was sitting at the McCall's kitchen table, jabbing at her uneaten bowl of cereal. It was now Friday morning and almost a full two days since she and Scott last spoke. Stiles had called her last night, trying to find out what happened but Allison didn't feeling like telling him. She slept fitfully last night, her dreams haunted by Scott's face.

When she called him a monster, he looked as if she had slapped him. She regretted the words the instant they left her lips. She didn't need to see his tears to know she'd cut him to the core with her words.

But she wasn't herself-she'd never experienced anything like the past few days. At first, she enjoyed her newfound power. For the first time in her life, she felt untouchable.

Now she understood how hard it was to master her impulses and new abilities. Every day there was an unpleasant discovery about the damage she could inflict. Every hour she forced herself to remain vigilant; terrified of the danger she posed to the people around her. If she felt that way, only being a werewolf for a few days, she knew it must have taken a worse toll on Scott.

She never thought of Scott as a monster, not really. She had thought that about Peter and even Derek. But never Scott. Scott was only...himself. She could never put him in a bucket with the others-to her he was still more human than anything else. He wasn't like them.

Scott had finally made peace with what happened to him and she threw it back in his face.

Scott's mom entered the kitchen wearing a sundress instead of her usual nurse's scrubs.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" Mrs. McCall asked when she saw Allison's dour face.

"I don't want to talk about it."

Allison poked at a corn flake with her spoon.

"Is it Derek?" Mrs. McCall sat down on the chair next to her, her shoulders tensed as if she expected the worst.

"No." Mrs. McCall visibly relaxed at Allison's response.

"Girl trouble?" _If only she knew._ Allison stirred the spoon around in the bowl.

Mrs. McCall brightened. "Well, kiddo, hit me and let's see if I can't help."

"I don't need your help."

"As your older and far wiser mother, I disagree."

Allison looked at Mrs. McCall and she couldn't help smiling. Her mother had never been prone to giving relationship advice, unless "stay away from Scott" counted. She got the feeling that Scott and his mom talked a lot more freely than they did in the Argent household. She wondered what sort of advice Scott's mom gave him about her. Allison decided to find out.

"Allison's back," she said, watching Mrs. McCall. Scott's mom reacted instantly and Allison was hit with a blast of fear so intense it nearly knocked her off her seat. The woman's eyes widened and she grabbed Allison's hand in both of hers. Allison could hear her heartbeat tick up.

"Are you sure?" Mrs. McCall whispered. "They're back? Will they come after you?"

Allison realized that she should have considered how the news would affect Mrs. McCall before telling her. The strength of her fear shocked Allison. She wished she could tell Scott's mom that she would never hurt him, not ever.

"They're…they're not hunters anymore." Allison said the only thing she thought of that might make Mrs. McCall feel better. "They've retired."

"Are you sure?" Mrs. McCall tightened her hold on Allison's hand.

"Yes."

"Scott, I know you still care about Allison. She may very well care for you. But things are dangerous enough already, don't go courting trouble. I don't want to lose you. Her family has tried to kill you before. Promise me you'll stay away," Scott's mom pleaded. "Promise, Scott. For me."

She took a deep breath. "Ok. I promise to stay away from Allison."

"Thank you. " Mrs. McCall released Allison's hand and leaned back in her chair. "I know it's hard for you. But it will get easier."

"When?" Allison asked, tears pricking her eyes. Allison's heart sank. What if their fight was the last conversation they ever had? She wished she could take it all back. "What if it doesn't?"

"Oh, sweetie," Scott's mom wrapped her in a hug. "You're young. You have your whole life ahead of you. One day, this will be far behind you. I promise. Otherwise, you can stick me in a crappy nursing home for revenge."

"That doesn't make me feel better."

Mrs. McCall sighed and stood up. "I know. I'm going to run some errands. You need anything?"

"No."

"Listen, I have to work tonight. Do you have any plans?"

"Not really." Allison had planned on watching some chick flicks while drinking tea and eating popcorn.

"Really? 'Cause Stiles told me something about a party tonight."

"He did?" _Goddamn Stiles and his big mouth._

"He did. I think you should go. Get out. Meet some new people. You know, there are other girls out there than Allison, Scott."

"Like Amy Sherman," Allison stabbed at her cereal with the spoon, causing milk to fly out of the bowl.

"I don't know who that is, but exactly." Mrs. McCall said. "You have fun, sweetie. Call me if you go out. And be safe."

"Will do," Allison replied. She watched Scott's mom leave. Looks like she was going out after all.

* * *

There was a knock on the door. In fact, the knocking had been going on for a couple minutes. Scott paid no attention to intruder. Whoever it was could go to hell.

He decided that he was going to spend the night just lying on his back on Allison's bed listening to music. He tried not to think of her. She was right, he _was_ a monster. But there was nothing he could do to change that. His only course of action had been to accept it and do the best he could to protect the people he cared about.

There was another knock on the bedroom door. Scott ignored it, but the door opened anyway.

"Don't you know it's rude to not answer the door?" Lydia strode into the room wearing a turquoise dress and a pair of gold heels. "I've only been knocking for about five minutes straight. Honestly, Scott."

"Lydia," Scott said half-heartedly. "What do you want?"

"What do you think? I'm here to get you ready for the party."

Scott groaned. "I'm not going. I already told Stiles."

"And I'm telling you, you are." Lydia pouted. "And from the looks of it, I have quite a bit of work ahead of me and only an hour in which to accomplish it."

"I don't want to go. _She_ might be there."

"Scott, you can't hide inside forever. Stiles is worried about you. Frankly, I'm worried too. Your life doesn't just stop because you and Allison had a fight. And besides, you know what they say about exes."

Scott rolled over onto his stomach and eyed the pretty redhead. "What do they say?"

Lydia beamed and pulled a plum-colored dress out of Allison's closet. "Looking good is the best revenge."

Scott gave in. He knew Lydia would wear him down until she had her way. "Fine. I'll go."

"That's more like it." Lydia gave him a sly look. "Beacon Hills won't know what's hit it."

"Wouldn't be the first time," Scott muttered under his breath.

An hour later, Scott and Lydia were walking into Greenberg's party. A large crowd of kids had already arrived and the music reached the sidewalk.

"Lydia, I feel ridiculous wearing this. Why couldn't I have worn jeans?" Scott asked and he tried to pull down the bottom of the dress Lydia insisted he wear, despite his protests. It was so short he was afraid of what would happen when he sat down. He teetered through the front door, off-balance in a pair of bronze-colored high heels. "And I'm going to kill myself in these stupid shoes!"

"I don't know what you're complaining about. You look fantastic. Some of my best work." Lydia smiled and grabbed Scott's arm. One of the guys from the football team walked by and checked Scott out. Scott flushed red and Lydia rolled her eyes. "Besides Scott, when you and Allison get switched back, we want people talking about how fabulous she looked, not how frumpy she looked."

"Wait, you did this so she'll be able to date other guys?" He scowled. "Traitor."

"Let's be realistic, Scott. You two are on a break. And in the meantime, you _both _should have some fun, which may involve dating other people. Or werewolves or whatever. Oh, look. There's Greenberg." Lydia waved and Greenberg began heading over to them.

"I think I need a drink," Scott said and escaped towards the kitchen. He managed to slip in and get a beer from the keg without anyone talking to him.

"Scott! There you are." Stiles walked up to the keg and Scott groaned inwardly. So much for going unnoticed. Stiles put an arm around Scott's shoulder. "I'm glad you decided to come out, buddy."

Scott pulled Stiles's arm off and gave his friend a dirty look. "Thanks for siccing Lydia on me. I feel absurd in this getup."

"If it's any consolation, you look pretty hot." Stiles smirked. "The make-up Lydia did really brings out your eyes."

"Go to hell." Scott turned to leave and Stiles grabbed his shoulder.

"Wait, wait, I'm sorry." Stiles said. "I was just trying to add some levity to the situation."

"You mean since I'm stuck like this."

"Come on! I told you, we're close. Deaton says he's halfway there and…"

Scott tuned Stiles out and scanned the party-goers, looking for Allison. He spotted Amy in the corner. She was talking to someone sitting on the couch. He had silver hair. "Stiles, it's him!"

Scott handed Stiles his beer and rushed out of the kitchen.

"Scott, wait!" Stiles called after him.

Scott didn't listen. Instead, he began pushing through the crowd, making his way over to Amy and the fairy. Amy turned to leave and Scott shoved a football player out of his way in order to catch the trickster before he moved on. He rushed up to the couch, furious.

"So you think you're funny?"

The fairy looked up to face Scott. He now appeared to be their age, but his hair and green eyes were unmistakable. He smiled at Scott and took a sip of the beer in his hand. "Switching a wolf and a hunter is definitely one of my finer moments. Kind of inspired, if I do say so myself," he drawled. "You look nice, by the way."

Scott balled his hands into fists. "We want you to change us back. Now," he demanded.

"Sorry, I can't." The sprite took another sip of beer.

"What do you mean you can't? It's your spell!"

"I mean I_ could _change you back," he winked at Scott. "But I won't. Not when you're both so close."

"Close to what?"

"Now, now. Telling you would ruin the fun."

"What?" Scott asked.

Suddenly, he felt someone nudge his elbow. He turned to find Stiles behind him, holding both their beers.

"Who are you talking to?" Stiles asked.

"I'm talking to the sadist who did this to us." Scott waved his arm towards the couch.

"Dude, there's no one there."

"What?" Scott looked back. Stiles was right, the fairy had vanished. "Dammit. He was right there!"

"Really? Did you ask him to change you back?"

"Yes."

"Great!" Stiles handed Scott his beer.

"Not great. He won't do it." Scott's shoulders slumped.

"What? Why not?" Stiles gave Scott a baffled look.

"Said it would ruin the fun." Scott brought the beer to his lips and drained it.

"So, you're taking the news well, I gather," Stiles took a sip of his own beer.

"I'm going to get another drink," Scott said and headed towards the kitchen. Stiles trailed after him.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea. I mean, it's been a while since you've been drunk…" Stiles dropped his voice to a whisper. "_Scott_. That beer is gonna catch up with you sooner than you think."

"It's a party, Stiles. And if I'm gonna spend it like this," he gestured to himself. "I'm not doing it sober."

"Ok, then." Stiles sighed. He watched Scott refill his cup from the keg. "I'm sorry that guy is a dick and won't change you back."

"Me too," Scott said. "Who knows how long we'll be stuck like this. It's not any easier for Allison."

Stiles cleared his throat. "I'm not so sure about that."

"What?" Scott asked.

Stiles nodded towards the hall, which they could see through the kitchen doorway. They had a clear view of Allison. She was talking to Lydia and was laughing and smiling. Scott nearly choked on his beer.

Scott grimaced. "Just great."

"Are you going to tell her about what what's-his-face said?" Stiles asked.

"I don't know. I really don't feel like talking to her right now."

"Listen, I don't know what you two fought about, but this concerns you both."

"She called me a monster." Scott sipped his beer. It tasted good and the effects of his first beer were just beginning to kick in, making him tipsy for the first time in over eight months.

"Oh." Stiles fell silent. They stood there for a few minutes, neither Scott nor Stiles speaking. Stiles looked around the room, avoiding Scott's pained expression. Scott remembered when he had thought something very similar with Stiles. Suddenly, Stiles's face brightened. "Hey, there's Heather!" He looked back at Scott. "Oh, well. She can wait."

"No," Scott said. "You should talk to her. I'll be fine." He held up his beer. "Still have a long ways to go before I finish this one, I promise."

"Well, ok." Stiles grinned and took off in the direction of his old friend. Scott thought it was good at least one of them had a promising development on the love front. He refilled his cup from the keg and watched the crowd ebb and flow through the kitchen.

As he stood there, he realized Stiles was right. He should tell Allison what the fairy told him. He took another sip and finished his beer. _Oops._ He put the empty cup on the table and set off to find Allison.

He found her in the hall, leaning up against the wall. She met his eyes when he came up to her.

"Hey," he said. "Can I talk to you? It's about..."

"It doesn't matter what it's about, he's not interested," a girl's voice interrupted. Scott and Allison both twisted to see the intruder. It was Amy. Scott rolled his eyes and Allison put a hand in front of her mouth to suppress a laugh.

"Listen, Amy this doesn't have anything to do with you," Scott said in an exasperated voice. "I just need five minutes and then he's all yours."

"Get lost, Allison. Last time I checked you're not dating Scott anymore."

"No, it's fine," Allison said. "Really."

"I don't think so! She disappears for four months and suddenly she decides to waltz back in and snatch you up again?" She stared Scott down. "You're not good enough for him."

"Excuse me?" Scott bristled. He and Amy had made out once-who did she think she was, making pronouncements on his romantic life? Like she even knew a thing about him and Allison. "You don't have a clue what you're taking about, Amy."

Amy took a step towards him and Scott became conscious of a small crowd gathering around them. So much for laying low. "I think I do. And if I were you, Allison-my-aunt's-a-serial-killer-Argent, I'd back off right about now." The cheerleader regarded Scott. "My cousin's from South Boston- he taught me everything he knows about fighting. Pretty sure I could take you."

"Oh yeah?" Scott now took a step towards Amy.

"I don't think you two really need to fight about this." Allison's expression had morphed from amusement to dismay. The crowd had now doubled and filled the entire hallway. She put a hand on Scott's shoulder and Scott shrugged it off. He glared at Amy.

"So, your cousin's from Southie?" He asked, his voice low. He clenched his hands into fists.

"Chick fight!" Someone in the background yelled. It was Greenberg, of course.

"Yeah. So you might as well back away," Amy smirked. "Wouldn't want to break a nail or ruin your pretty dress."

Before he knew what was happening, Scott pulled back with all his force and let his right fist fly, straight into Amy's smug face. She reeled from the blow and fell flat onto her ass on the floor.

"Too bad we're in Beacon Hills." He stood over her, enjoying Amy's stunned face. He could see the start of a shiner on her left eye. "Guess you're not so tough after all."

The crowd was silent. Suddenly, someone cheered. "Way to go, Argent!"

The crowd burst into applause and Amy scrambled to her feet and fled out the front door.

"Oh, my god. That was kick-ass!" Stiles came up to him and clapped him on the back. "Bam! Right to face. I think that was the first time I've ever seen a chick fight."

"Not exactly how I would have done it, but not too shabby," Allison said. Stiles held up his hand for a high-five and she slapped it. "Did you see the look on Amy's face?"

Lydia stepped forward through the crowd of people now trying to congratulate Scott.

"She definitely shouldn't have mentioned the dress," Lydia remarked. "Nice to know it stands up to a fight."

"I'm glad you all find this so amusing," Scott looked daggers at his friends. "I'm done here."

He turned and filtered through the crowd and towards the front door.

"Wait!" He heard Allison call behind him. "We're sorry!"

"Forget it," Scott muttered under his breath and walked out into the night.


	11. Chapter 11

"Crap." Stiles turned to Allison and Lydia. "That didn't go well."

"No kidding. Kind of sensitive tonight, don't you think?" Lydia crossed her arms, nonplussed.

"Think you could do any better dealing with this?" Allison shot Lydia a dirty look. "Listen, Stiles, why don't you and Lydia drive towards his house and I'll head towards mine. He's on foot, so he can't get that far," Allison said. "Whoever finds him first calls the others, ok?"

Allison began walking towards the McCall's car-in light of the fact that werewolves don't get drunk, Stiles had appointed her the designated driver and she had driven them both to the party. She pulled away from the house still swarming with drunken teenagers and in the rear view mirror she watched Stiles drag a pouting Lydia towards her car.

Scott wasn't at her house and she wasted an hour trying to call him before it dawned on her where he had gone.

As she expected, Allison found Scott at the rock. She approached him slowly, careful to make noise when she stepped on the grass. He looked up at her.

"Hey," she said. "Can I sit?"

Scott shrugged and Allison sat down on the ground next to him. Scott stared out over the city. His shoes lay in a heap on the grass and he sat with his legs out in front of him.

Ten minutes passed and she peeked at Scott, who had closed his eyes. His heartbeat had slowed and she wondered if he was now sleeping. Beneath the streaked mascara, Allison noticed that dark circles looming under his eyes, like he hadn't been sleeping the past couple of days. Their fight had taken its toll on him as well. She stared back out into the darkness, able to make out the lit houses that glittered below.

"We're never changing back."

Allison was startled by the hopelessness in Scott's voice. She'd never heard him admit defeat before-not even when they discovered Jackson was the Kanima and they had no idea how to stop him. It was Scott who insisted they could save him, Scott who insisted they would find a solution if they just kept looking.

"Scott, that's not true. It just takes time," Allison said. "We'll find a way."

"I don't think so. I saw him again tonight, Allison. He said he won't change us back. That's what I was going to tell you before I punched Amy. It's done." He regarded her with eyes haunted by some dark truth. "I've lost my only chance to..." He stopped and put his head down again. "Never mind. And I've lost you too. It was bad enough when we broke up and you moved away. Now, I have to see you every day when I look in the mirror but I'll still never get to be with you."

"Why not? Who cares what we look like as long as we're together?"

"We can't be together."

"You're giving up?" She said her voice heated. "After that grand speech about fate and how you'd wait for me? What was that, Scott? Just some sort of joke to you?"

"No. It wasn't," Scott answered.

"Then who says we can't make it work?" She placed a hand on his shoulder.

Scott sat up and brushed her arm away. "Let's be real. No matter which way this goes, when school starts we're going to have to stop talking to each other."

"That's not true."

"It is. Being what we are...no matter who we are. It can't work. It ends the same, Allison. With death."

"You're not going to die, Scott."

"No, _you're_ going to die." He looked at her, his eyes full of sorrow. "I was hoping it wouldn't come to this, that we'd be back to normal, but you need to understand. They're going to come for you. The hunters know what you are, it doesn't matter what you've done. Or haven't done. It just matters that you're not human."

"What?" During all this, Allison hadn't once considered the possibility that she was in danger of being hunted.

"They're going to hurt you. And then, once they have what they want, they'll kill you and cut you in half."

"They cut you in half?" A cold fear swept over her.

Allison thought about Erica and Boyd strung up in the basement. The way the lights flickered when her grandfather ran the current. She remembered Derek Hale mounted to a metal cell door, helpless while her aunt pumped thousands of volts of electricity through his body. How he screamed. How Kate smiled. She thought of Boyd and Erica, their terrified faces as she loosed her arrows into them, not caring if it hurt. In that moment, she didn't think of them as her classmates, as someone's friends, or as someone's children. They were monsters.

Now, it would be her destiny, too. It was the fate she deserved for what she had done-for giving in to her blind rage without honoring the code. She cursed herself for not having her father's resolve. For letting her grief get the better of her.

"I can't protect you from them," Scott traced his fingers through the grass. "Not like this. I'd need to stop them from the inside and I don't think I can do it."

"So, I guess that's it, then." Allison leaned back against the rock, the finality of her situation sinking in. She could try to stay one step ahead of the hunters, but for how long? Scott was right, they would keep coming until she was dead.

"I've let you down," he said.

"No, you haven't." Allison clasped his hand and Scott looked at the ground. "You couldn't plan for this. There's nothing you could do."

After a moment, Scott raised his head and there was a spark of hope in his eyes. "Actually, there is something we can do. We'll have to tell him, though."

"Who?"

"Your father. We can make him believe us, I know we can. And we'll have to tell my mom." Scott straightened.

"Why would we do that?" Allison tried to envision her Dad's reaction but she didn't like what she imagined.

"Because. If we tell him, he can help protect you. He knows the hunters' systems and how to get around them. You just need to make it through high school. Then, you can disappear and they'll never find you. We can get you a new identity, you'll move to a city, somewhere with lots of people. You can be anyone you want, you just can't come back to Beacon Hills."

"You want me to take on a new identity? How are we supposed to pull that off?"

"We'll have help. We have Stiles, Lydia, Deaton, Mom, and your Dad. We'll get Danny or someone to destroy the hunter's records on you. Isaac can help with the werewolf stuff."

"How am I supposed to handle the whole Isaac thing, anyway? Am I supposed to be part of his pack? And what about Derek?"

"It's less complicated if you stay an omega. It'll make it easier to leave and no one can be tracked from you. Isaac should stay in Derek's pack-he'll be safer. And I'm not sure we should tell Derek you're me. That might be more dangerous for you."

"Right," Allison wrapped her arms around her legs, warming to the idea. Scott seemed to have it pretty well-outlined. Then it hit her.

"You were going to disappear after high school, weren't you?" Allison asked. "This is _your_ plan."

Scott didn't say anything. He just looked off into the night.

Allison heard his heartbeat quicken. She wondered when he'd made the decision to leave. She recognized that the rest of high school would have been Scott's only remaining time with his friends and family. No wonder he'd been so despondent about not being able to change back. It meant he wouldn't get to say goodbye as himself. Finally, he spoke.

"It doesn't matter. It's your plan, now."

"But what about you?"

Scott furrowed his brow. Then he grinned.

"Maybe I won't have to leave. Stiles will just have to be my beard. Quick marriage, then divorce! Instant name change. He can't say no to this face, right?" Scott squeezed his own cheeks, scrunching his face up.

Allison laughed. "Scott, that is the silliest thing I've ever heard."

"So you'll do it?"

"I don't see how I can say no. Especially to that face, as you put it."

"Good. Then it's settled," Scott nodded and leaned back again, content. Allison scooted closer to him. He leaned against her and nestled against her. Allison shifted so she could put her arm around him.

"Ouch!" She cried out. She had sat on something with rough edges. She felt beneath her and her fingers brushed against something metal with a ridged edge. The ridges weren't that big, but to her they had seemed really jagged.

"What is it?" Scott asked.

"I think it's a bottle cap," she tried to pull it out, but she couldn't quite get it with her free arm.

"Here, let me," Scott said. He quickly retrieved the offending object and put it on the rock behind them. "Better?"

"Much. I feel a little like the princess and the pea," Allison laughed. "All that fuss over something so small."

Scott laughed. "Now, what?"

"We could just stay here. Watch the sun come up."

"Sounds good to me." He rested his head on her shoulder. "Remember when you asked me what my first anchor was?"

"Yeah?"

"It was you."

Allison put her arm around him again and hugged him close. They didn't speak, but watched the horizon, waiting for the sun to come up and a new day to begin.

* * *

Scott woke up to a symphony of noise. It sounded like every animal in the forest had decided to make as much noise as possible. On top of that, he could hear his phone vibrating.

He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and reached down to fish out his phone. The sun was just breaching the skyline, but the light blinded him nonetheless. His fumbled to bring up the message screen, his fingers clumsy for some reason. He must have had too much to drink at the party after all. Hangovers were one thing Scott didn't miss from his pre-werewolf life.

Stiles had sent him a text: "Did you find Scott yet?"

Scott blinked. Why would Stiles ask him if he had found himself? He held his thumb poised over the reply button. What should he say?

_His thumb._

Scott stared at it and then flexed it, unbelieving. It was_ his_ thumb. He reached up with his hand and touched his face-and felt the familiar shape of his own uneven jaw line covered with faint stubble beneath his fingers. He touched his chest and was relieved to discover it was flat and broad once again.

_He was back to normal._

Scott realized that his left arm was wrapped around someone else. He looked down to see Allison's head on his shoulder. She looked so peaceful; he knew it was selfish, but he didn't want to wake her. Not yet. The moment he did the spell would be broken and they would have to return to reality.

He sat there and let himself readjust to his senses. It didn't take him too long and after a few minutes of listening to the even pace of Allison's steady heart, Scott gently squeezed her shoulder.

"Allison," he said in a quiet voice. "Rise and shine."

Allison fluttered her lashes and then slowly opened her eyes. She sat up groggily.

"Scott? Where are we?" She rubbed her eyes. "God, I feel hung-over."

"We're still at the rock," Scott said and then looked at her sheepishly. "And the hangover is my fault. I may have had a little too much last night. Sorry."

He beamed at her, wondering how long it would take her to notice.

"What? Why would that matter to me?" Allison scowled. "And why are you grinning like an…" Allison's eyes widened and Scott's grin broadened.

"We're back." He held his arms out triumphantly.

"Oh, my god." Allison said softly. She touched Scott's face and then touched her own face. She laughed and jumped up. She spun around in a circle, her hair flying out behind her. "We're back! Yes, yes, yes!"

She ran over to Scott and pulled him to his feet and embraced him. "Oh, Scott, I'm so happy!"

"You don't say," Scott replied, arching an eyebrow.

Allison released him and looked up at him with an expression of pure joy.

"I can go home-I can see Dad again! And when school starts I don't have to do track or deal with Amy." She laughed again. "I don't have to worry about shifting or hunters."

"Nope," Scott said. "You're free and clear."

Her face fell. She looked at Scott, her face now grave. "Do we really have to avoid each other?"

He glanced away. "We can't be together. You know that."

"Even if we can't be together, why can't we be friends? Couldn't we at least say "hi" in school and talk to each other at parties?" Allison fixed him in her gaze. "I don't want to cut you out of my life completely."

"I don't want that either," Scott admitted. He thought about Allison's offer of friendship. Maybe if she didn't get too close to him she would still be safe. And he wouldn't lose her completely. He looked at her, a small smile on his lips. "Ok. Friends it is."

"Friends." Allison tested the word out. She smiled and then her expression turned serious again. "Are you still going to vanish after high school and leave everyone behind?"

Scott shifted uncomfortably on his feet.

He hoped she had forgotten that part of last night's discussion. Now that things were back to normal, he was more convinced than ever that he had to follow through with his plan. Cut the bond with Isaac and assume a new identity after graduation. Assuming he lived that long. Except, unlike the plan he concocted for Allison, he would have to act without the help of his friends and family if he hoped to protect them.

"You are." Allison's voice was flat. She cast her eyes to the ground for a moment and when she looked back up, they were brimming with tears. "What about fate, Scott?"

"This is our fate, Allison."

"No." She shook her head. "You said we would be together. How am I supposed to find you again if you disappear without a trace?"

Allison's words kindled hope in Scott's heart. He wanted it to be possible for them to be together. He didn't know if she would even remember him after a few years. But if there was a chance he owed it to himself to try.

Scott put hands on Allison's face. He lowered his head and kissed her lips gently. When he pulled back he spoke. "I'll send you a postcard. With just a place and time written on it. If you still remember, will you come?"

"I will."

"Then maybe we can make our own fate," Scott said. He held out his hand and Allison took it. He cast one last glance at their rock and they headed down the path to face the future, together.

_Puck watched the wolf and the hunter head down the hill. He walked over to the rock and picked up the coin where the wolf had laid it the night before. He slipped it into his pocket and smiled. The sun climbed in the clear sky, creating a canvas washed in reds and oranges." Definitely among my more inspired deeds," he remarked to the trees. "But then again, I'm a sucker for love stories."_


End file.
